Port Orchard sets annexation sites

Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola has expressed a desire to annex a large portion of the city’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) in a single action, but for now the expansion is proceeding in a series of single steps.

“Annexation is a benefit to many of our citizens,” said Port Orchard Development Director James Weaver. “We’re hoping to complete annexation of the entire UGA in a way that will make those citizens happy.”

The highest profile annexation, that of the McCormick Woods subdivision, has been sent to the Kitsap County Boundary Review Board and will hopefully be complete within 60 days.

Annexations proceed in two steps: The initial petition gathering, the intent stage, requires signatures adding up to ten percent of the assessed value, with no time limit.

The second, which requires representation by 60 percent of the value, needs to be accomplished in six months.

This is decreased from the 75 percent required by the McCormick Woods annexation, the result of legislation just passed by the state.

Weaver favors this change, stating, “I think it is a good thing to make it less restrictive for cities to annex the UGA, which they are required by law to do.”

Even if a large scale annexation is possible, the city has divided the UGA into 18 digestible bites (see map). Those who wish to be incorporated into the city need to work within each area.

Currently, the most active annexation is Area 4, which includes the Bethel Sedgwick annexation area and other previous smaller annexations.

Residents of this area have submitted Notices of Intent in the amount of 8.32 percent of valuation, when it reaches 10 percent it will appear for discussion on the city council’s agenda.

The city has also received petitions from Area 3, part of the Sidney Corridor, and Area 9, an east-west section that encompasses the area around Mile Hill Dr. leading up to Howe Farms.

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