Annexation of New Cities to Fire Districts in Spokane County

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RCW 52.04.161 is the Washington State Law which describes the process for the annexation of new cities to one or more fire districts. 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.

Upon incorporation, the new city is deemed to be annexed to the fire districts and can remain a part of the fire districts for up to two years. After that period, the following steps must be taken to continue the annexation:

  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 Boards of Fire Commissioners of each district concur 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 and forwards to the Board of County Commissioners the matter to be set for the next election not less than forty-five days from the final decision of the Boundary Review Board.
  5. If approved by voters, the Boards of Fire Commissioners submit the documentation and a recording fee of nineteen dollars for the first page and one dollar per additional page to the Boundary Review Board Office.
  6. The Boundary Review Board Director verifies that the legal description is the same as approved by the Boundary Review Board and records one copy with the Spokane County Auditor and file two copies with the Spokane County Assessor and one with the Spokane County Board of Commissioners.
  7. The Boundary Review Board then changes official maps and notifies the various county departments and affected agencies of the changed boundaries.