OTHELLO — An overflow crowd and the Othello City Council asked a lot of questions about a proposal to annex property into the city of Othello during a lengthy public hearing at the regular meeting Monday. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said the public hearing was, and will be, only to gather public reaction to the two annexation petitions.  

“Neither of the annexation requests are certified by the (Adams County) assessor in time for this meeting,” Logan said. “Therefore, no city council action is going to be taken tonight on either of these annexation requests.” 

Two separate property owners have submitted two separate annexation requests. One is for 183 acres south of Cemetery Road and east of Wahitis Elementary and the Columbia Basin Health Association clinic on South 14th Avenue. One section crosses State Route 26 along Reynolds Road.  

The second request – and the subject of most of the testimony – is a request to annex 658 acres west of State Route 17 and between West Hampton Road and the existing city limits. The request doesn’t include all of that property, but does include sections along South Reynolds Road and West Bench Road, crossing a small section of SR 17.  

Logan said city staff determined the annexation petition no longer met the criteria. The signatures on the petition must be no older than six months, and the Hampton Road petition was older than that.  

“Because the public hearing had already been scheduled and notices sent, we determined to move forward with opening the public hearing (and) receive testimony, but the council should not deliberate or make any decisions until the county assessor has certified the sufficiency of the petition,” Logan said. 

The applicants are expected to submit an updated petition, Logan said. 

About 30 people submitted written testimony, all of them opposed. Five of the six people testifying Monday were against the proposal. 

Council member Angel Garza talked about his position when council members were asked questions about their communications and opinions. 

Garza said a large development along West Bench and South Reynolds roads would substantially increase traffic, along roads that weren’t designed for it.  

Council member Corey Everett said he was concerned about providing adequate water.  

“How many more homes are going to be built out there?” he said. “The city is getting in over its head in providing water.” 

Council member Darryl Barnes said he wanted to know about planning for EMS services. Council member Genna Dorow asked about the impact of adding that property on police and fire service.  

Council member John Lallas also asked about water, and how the city would supply it, since at least one city well is in need of repairs. 

“Do we have water and sewer capacity enough to support the project?” Dorow asked.  

City engineer Robin Adolphsen said there are a number of projects and plans in various stages of development, which made it difficult to answer that question. 

“As different pieces of ground develop, and you see growth at different times, it’s a timing game,” she said. 

Two developments are planned in addition to the property requested for annexation, which would use up some of the existing water and sewer capacity, she said.  

Dorow asked about traffic, specifically a roundabout at South 14th Avenue and SR 26. Adolphsen said the plans of the Washington Department of Transportation are unclear, but that a roundabout might not end up being a WSDOT project.  

Lallas asked why the developers chose to ask for annexation. 

“Why couldn’t they do it through the county? Why do they need the city?” Lallas asked.  

Henning said it’s a question of density; allowable density is higher in the city.  

Lallas objected to annexing property so far away from the existing city limits, given that there are areas closer to town that, in his opinion, could be annexed first. In addition, many landowners within the proposed annexation area are against it, he said. 

Logan said most of the council’s questions would be up to the applicant to answer. Stephen Bauman, representing the applicant, said he was unprepared to answer some of those specifics, because the purpose of the public hearing did not include those questions and he didn’t expect to have to answer them.  

Nobody asked to testify for or against the Hampton Road proposal. 

Community Development Director Anne Henning said all the property in the proposed annexation area would be added to the city, even the parcel whose owner has not indicated support for or opposition to annexation. That property is a residence and business, and Henning said it wouldn’t be affected by annexation unless somebody wanted to change the existing use. 

    Othello City Council members, from left Denae Valdez, Angel Garza and Darryl Barnes were part of a wide-ranging debate over an annexation request on West Bench Road.