Annexing Adjacent Cities of Less Than 100,000 To Fire Districts In Spokane County

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RCW 52.04.061 is the Washington State Law which describes the process for the annexation of adjacent cities and towns to a fire district. This process is outlined below for fire districts in Spokane County, including the SEPA (RCW 43.21C) and Boundary Review Board (RCW 36.93) steps.

  1. The legislative authority of a city or town adopts an ordinance stating:
    • An intent to join the fire district and
    • Finding that the public interest is served.
  2. If the Board of Fire Commissioners of the district concurs with the annexation, the SEPA requirements for an Environmental Checklist and a Threshold Determination are completed and sent to the Department of Ecology and affected agencies by the Fire District. There is a fourteen-day comment period.
  3. A Notice of Intention is then filed with the Boundary Review Board. An agency with a concern about the annexation has 45 days to request a public hearing before the Boundary Review Board. If there is a hearing, the Boundary Review Board may approve, modify, divide assets and functions, or deny the proposal. If there is no hearing before the Boundary Review Board, the Notice of Intention is approved after the 45-day period elapses.
  4. The Boundary Review Board then sends to the Fire District, either its written Hearing Decision or a Certification of the Expiration of the 45-Day Period.
  5. The Fire District adopts a Resolution requesting an election on the matter of the Board of County Commissioners. The Boundary Review Board Director will verify that the legal description is the same as approved by the Boundary Review Board.
  6. The County Commissioners adopt a Resolution calling for a special election to be held in the city or town and in the fire district at the next regularly scheduled election date not less than 45 days from the Fire District’s Resolution requesting the election.
  7. The County Auditor sends to all parties including the Boundary Review Board the ballot results.
  8. If approved by voters, the Boundary Review Board Director changes official maps, records one copy with the Spokane County Auditor and files two copies with the Spokane County Assessor and one with the Spokane County Board of Commissioners, and notifies the various county departments and affected agencies of the changed boundaries.