Petition Method for Land Owner/Voter in Spokane County

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RCW 35A.14 and 35.13 are the state laws that describe the process for the revised petition method of annexation for cities. This process is outlined below, including the SEPA (RCW 43.21C) and Boundary Review Board (RCW 36.93) steps.

  1. The owners of not less than ten percent of the acreage OR not less than ten percent of the residents of the area (non code cities) to be annexed shall notify the City Council in writing of their intention to commence annexation proceedings.
  2. The City Council shall set a date not later than sixty days after the request is filed to meet with the initiating parties to determine:
    • whether the city will accept, reject, or geographically modify the proposed annexation;
    • whether it shall require simultaneous adoption of a proposed zoning code; and
    • whether it shall require the assumption of all or any portion of city indebtedness by the area to be annexed.
  3. A petition is then circulated containing:
    • the legal description and map of the area to be annexed;
    • whether the city will require simultaneous adoption of the comprehensive plan (non-code city) or a proposed zoning regulation (code city), and
    • whether it will require the assumption of all or any portion of city indebtedness by the area to be annexed.
  4. The petition must be signed by:
    • owners of the majority of the acreage AND
    • a majority of the registered voters of the proposed annexation area.
    If no residents exist within the proposed annexation area, the petition must be signed by the owners of the majority of the acreage.
  5. The petition containing the signatures of property owners must be submitted to the County Assessor for certification. The Assessor will issue a Certificate of Sufficiency. RCW 35A.01.040 (9).
  6. The petition containing the signatures of registered voters must be submitted to the County Auditor for certification. The Auditor will issue a Certificate of Sufficiency. RCW 35A.01.040 (9).
  7. The City Council then fixes a date for a public hearing, publishes a hearing notice in a newspaper, and posts three notices in the proposed annexation area.
  8. If required, the City prepares an environmental checklist on proposed comprehensive plan amendments and zoning and issues a Threshold Determination. Copies are sent to the Department of Ecology and affected agencies.
  9. The City Council holds the public hearing and signs an "Intent to Annex" resolution determining that it will accept the area for annexation.
  10. A Notice of Intention is then filed with the Boundary Review Board. An affected entity 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.
  11. The Boundary Review Board then sends to the City, either its written Hearing Decision or a Certification of the Expiration of the 45-Day Period.
  12. The City then adopts an ordinance officially annexing the area (including any modifications that the Boundary Review Board has made).
  13. This Final Ordinance and a recording fee of nineteen dollars for the first page and one dollar per additional page are sent to the Boundary Review Board Office.
  14. The Boundary Review Board Planner will verify that the legal description is the same as approved by the Boundary Review Board and will record 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.
  15. The Boundary Review Board then notifies the various county departments and affected agencies of the changed boundaries.