OTHELLO — Othello City Council members voted 6-0 to decline a request to annex property south of State Route 26 along West Bench Road. The decision followed a third public comment session, some of it impassioned, on the proposal. Council member Angel Garza said he thought accepting the annexation proposal would move growth in the wrong direction. 

“We want to grow from the inside out,” Garza said. “On the right of Main (Street), by the cemetery, we have the Hampton property we have annexed in, we have (other properties). We have a total of 540 acres (already in the city limits) to be developed.” 

Council members cited concerns about water, the city’s ability to provide services, and the best way for the city to grow in rejecting the proposal, which would’ve added 565 acres to the city. Garza was the only council member to express an opinion after public testimony. Most of the opposition to the proposal came from nearby property owners, who expressed concern about the impact of annexation on their operations. Some also expressed concern about the distance from existing city services.  

Garza said there was developable land within the city limits to accommodate additional housing, along with developable property along Cunningham Road west of State Route 17. 

“We have a roundabout that’s going in (at SR 17). You know what the rule of thumb is when you have a roundabout. When you slow traffic down from 60 to 25 miles an hour, people stop in town,” Garza said. “The kind of traffic we have on (SR) 17 — that's massive traffic. We can grow our city. We have to be wise about how we grow our city.” 

The Othello Fairgrounds and Othello Rodeo grounds would’ve adjoined the annexed area, and it also would’ve adjoined the Adams County Pet Rescue facility. Otherwise, the area is in row crop production, and other property owners said the annexation of the property would’ve made it more difficult for them to do business.  

Area resident Michael Para said farming, and things like the dust and noise it requires, would be incompatible with city regulations. Several people expressed concern about the effect of the project on water supplies in the annexation area.  

Public member Jack Purdy said he expected city officials to drill a well in the annexation area, which would have a negative effect on other water users. Mayor Shawn Logan and City Public Works Director Robin Adolphsen both said the city had no plans to drill a well there if the property was annexed. 

Resident Cara Hoyt said she thought State Route 26, Reynolds Road and Bench Road would not be adequate for the anticipated traffic. 

Stephen Bauman, representing the applicants, said the area is in Othello’s urban growth boundary. That meant city officials expect growth in that direction sooner or later, he said.  

Bauman challenged the participation of Garza and council member John Lallas, saying they had conflicts of interest. Lallas said in a June public hearing that he was concerned about annexing property that was far from the city limits.  

On Monday, Lallas said he thought the applicants had misled council members.  

Garza owns a construction company but said he’s completed all his planned projects in Othello. 

“We don’t have any more ground. We’re pretty much done here,” Garza said. “I’d have nothing to gain, because I don’t have any ore ground here.” 

    Stephen Bauman, a representative for property owners requesting their property be annexed into the city of Othello, speaks during Monday’s meeting at Othello City Hall. The request was denied after a long discussion.