Tumwater committee moves 90 Third/Case Road annexation petitions to council for May consideration

The Tumwater General Government Committee voted to place two 10% annexation petitions — for parcels near the intersection of 90 Third Avenue Southwest and Case Road Southwest — on the May 6 Tumwater City Council calendar for consideration.

Brad (city staff) said the petitions were filed in February, deemed complete in March after application fees were paid, and are now within the 60-day window for council consideration. The two adjacent parcels together total a little more than 10 acres. Brad identified the owners as Nathan Wong (102090 Third Southwest, about 4.87 acres) and John and Diane Elwin (about 5.87 acres). The parcels are immediately adjacent to the city’s southwest boundary and sit near the southwest corner of the Olympia Airport.

The property owners submitted both 10% petitions and accompanying 60% annexation petitions; Brad explained that because the owners control the parcels in the annexation area they filed the 60% petitions as well. The petitioners indicated willingness to assume their fair share of city indebtedness if annexed and to accept the existing land-use designations and zoning set by the joint plan. Brad said staff is not aware of any pending county applications for the properties and that no specific development proposal has been presented to the city.

Brad described the next steps if the council accepts the petitions: a legal-sufficiency review of the petitions (including confirmation of signatures), a formal council hearing, a review by the Boundary Review Board (which allows districts or agencies, such as Thurston County or East Olympia Fire District, to comment), and a final council vote. Council members asked staff to clarify what "assume city indebtedness" means; Brad said he would ask Troy (staff) to provide a plain-language explanation for the full council meeting.

A motion to place the 10% annexation petitions on the May 6 council consideration calendar passed by voice vote.