Council sets public hearing on broader annexation that includes correctional facility parcel

The Ephrata City Council voted to accept a notice of intent for annexation and to set a public hearing to consider annexing an area that includes the parcel where the county correctional facility sits.

City legal staff described the statutory process for annexation and said the proposed motion would accept the proposed annexation area, designate zoning for the parcels as facilities, and require the annexed area to assume existing city indebtedness. The action will allow the city’s hearing to cover both the new annexation request and a prior annexation request for the jail facility.

Council members discussed whether utilities and other infrastructure were in place for the expanded area; staff said water and sewer infrastructure were designed to serve the additional capacity. The transcript records the council setting the public hearing date (one council member referenced “04/16/2020” during the discussion) and approving the motion; the council recorded its approval with “Aye.”

City staff noted the annexation stems from an existing annexation-and-development agreement with the county and that the county has asked to include adjacent parcels to facilitate future transfers to potential purchasers. The council’s acceptance of the notice of intent does not finalize annexation; it schedules the public hearing and confirms zoning and indebtedness designations for the hearing.

No formal legal challenge or appeal was raised during the public portion of the meeting.