MONROE – The City Council is mulling over whether to add about 100 acres to the city.
If approved, the change could lead to dense housing developments northeast of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds.
The City Council has scheduled for Wednesday a public hearing on the proposed annexation of 58 acres adjacent to the city’s northern limits. The proposal is based on the consent of property owners representing more than 60 percent of the assessed value of the land, said Dan Bannier, Monroe’s senior planner.
Also, the city recently received an annexation proposal for 40 acres west of the 58-acre parcel, Bannier said. The City Council will likely have a hearing on that proposal in January, he said. The two parcels are currently zoned residential in the city’s urban growth area.
Fred Ballinger, who owns about 6 acres in the 58-acre section, said he supports the annexation because he wants the city to extend sewer lines to his property.
“Growth is inevitable. Our children need a place to live,” said Ballinger, 63.
With sewer access, more houses could be built on his land, said Ballinger, who plans to retire soon. If the city annexes his land, he could make far more money selling his property to a housing developer, he said.
City Councilman Mitch Ruth said he has yet to decide on the two annexations.
“I want to hear what the public needs to say,” Ruth said.
| Annexation hearing
The Monroe City Council will have a public hearing on the annexation of 58 acres northeast of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds at 7 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 806 W. Main St. For more information, call 360-794-7400. |
Whether the area ends up in the city or stays in Snohomish County, Ruth said, he believes it will be developed and the development will affect Monroe residents.
If the area is in the city, “we will have control, period,” he said. “If it’s in the county, we will have none.”
The city’s population grew from 4,278 in 1990 to 15,178 in 2004, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city’s population in 2025 is projected at 26,590, up 65 percent from the current figure.
Ruth said he would like to make sure the city uses its existing land efficiently to cope with growth before expanding its boundaries. But given the speed of the city’s growth, annexation needs to happen, he said.
“There’s no doubt people are multiplying, and dirt is not. We need to expand dirt,” he said.
Meanwhile, the city on Wednesday will decide whether to expand its urban growth area by 284 acres. If the council approves the change, two parcels – 249 acres north of U.S. 2 on Roosevelt Road and 35 acres west of Highway 522 near Monroe High School – would be designated in the city’s plan as areas to take in more people and development in the future.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@ heraldnet.com.
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