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Oak Harbor reviews draft interlocal agreement to annex roughly 80 acres from UGA
Summary
City planners presented a draft interlocal agreement with Island County to annex about 80 acres of underdeveloped urban growth area into Oak Harbor under temporary R‑2 zoning for capacity analysis; the council discussed property owner notification, utility connections and a target March return for final ILA.
Oak Harbor — City planning staff presented a draft interlocal annexation agreement with Island County on Dec. 16 that would bring approximately 80 acres of underdeveloped urban growth area (UGA) into Oak Harbor for inclusion in the city’s zoning and capacity analysis.
Principal Planner Rajesh Katkamak described three primary areas under consideration: parcels south of Fort Nugent (south/southwest portions of town), a southwest 24th area, and lands along Highway 20 between Highway 20 and Scenic Heights Road. The proposal would annex these lands under temporary R‑2 zoning to allow the city and county to jointly assess infrastructure capacity and future land‑use options as part of the 2026 comprehensive plan update.
Katkamak said the annexation would follow an agency‑to‑agency process in state law and include required notification to fire and water districts and a four‑week public‑notice period in the paper; he said the county already planned to discuss the draft at their commissioners meeting. The planner explained that property owners would not be compelled to immediately connect to city utilities; connections would be initiated by property owners through permits or development actions after annexation. He acknowledged staff had not completed a property‑by‑property fiscal‑impact analysis.
Council members raised homeowner‑impact concerns and asked about timing, notification and whether residents might face unexpected connection costs. Katkamak said staff would notify districts and property owners, run required notices in January/February and target returning a final ILA to council in March (possibly April if adjustments are needed).
Why it matters: Annexing underdeveloped UGA to the city can affect zoning, infrastructure planning, tax base and long‑term housing capacity. Homeowners in annexed areas may later choose to connect to city utilities, which can carry costs; the city is not proposing immediate mandatory upgrades on annexation alone.
Next steps: Staff will notify affected districts and property owners and continue the county coordination, with a goal to bring a final interlocal agreement to the council by March for action.
Quoted: "This annexation tries to bring in underdeveloped and undeveloped land into the city...approximately 80 acres," Principal Planner Rajesh Katkamak said.
