The third time will either be a charm, a curse or a yawn, depending on which Esperance resident is looking at possible annexation to the city of Edmonds.
Residents of a one-square-mile island of unincorporated Snohomish County surrounded by the southeastern part of Edmonds will vote Nov. 8 on whether to join the city. Previous annexation proposals were voted down in 1989 and 1997.
The island in Edmonds is bordered by 220th Street SW to the north; 92nd Avenue W. and Edmonds Way to the west; by 236th, 234th and 233rd streets SW to the south; and Highway 99 and 76th Avenue W. to the east. The area’s population is estimated at 3,500.
Most comments the city has received favor it, City Council President Richard Marin said, adding that is one reason why city officials pushed for annexation.
Another is that “most of us view Esperance as another one of the neighborhoods of Edmonds,” Marin said. “We see them as our neighbors and members of our community in every way.”
A third reason is that part of Esperance borders Highway 99, where city officials hope to attract more businesses and tax revenue to the city.
According to city figures, property taxes would decrease, while utility taxes would increase if the annexation is approved, resulting in an average annual reduction of $223 for the owner of a $310,000 home.
Detailed annexation information is available at www.ci. edmonds.wa.uslick on “News-Events-Calendar” and “Esperance Annexation.”
Everett
Everett residents also will vote on an annexation in the general election. Voters will decide whether the city will gain more than 200 homes in the Cascade Highlands neighborhood.
The neighborhood, between Silver and Hilton lakes, sought to join the city through a petition, but failed to gather votes representing at least 75 percent of the area’s value within the six-month requirement.
“They felt they had enough support but needed more time,” city planning director Allan Giffen said.
The city agreed to place the issue on the ballot, the second option that can be used to approve an annexation.
The neighborhood has 88 residential acres worth $57.8 million. There are no commercial lots.
The potential annexation comes on the heels of the Kenny and Murphy’s Corner annexations, which together added 167 acres and more than 300 households to the city Oct. 1. Both annexations were petitioned by residents and approved by the Everett City Council.
Jim Kenny, Snohomish County Fire District 1 chairman, fought the Murphy’s Corner annexation, saying Everett wants to claim choice commercial property but leave residential property. He said his fire district would lose about $54,000 a year to the annexation.
“Anybody who says Everett is cherry-picking is just wrong,” Giffen said. “There are no cherries to pick in Cascade Highlands.”
Because the Murphy’s Corner annexation is so large, it could lead to another annexation of adjacent land, Giffen said. The city plans to incorporate about nine square miles – home to about 35,000 people – in coming years.
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