MATTAWA — With discussions about development increasing, Mattawa City Council members will consider adding an annexation procedure to existing city regulations. Council members discussed the options at the regular meeting Nov. 5. 

Rachelle Bradley of SCJ Alliance, the city's planner, said an ordinance would make the process easier, both for the city and for people asking for annexation. 

"The reason for that is to have clear expectations and identify the roles and responsibilities of applicants and the city, and it establishes really critical processes for what that annexation process looks like and what we need for application materials," Bradley said.  

The discussion comes at a time when developers are working on projects, both inside and close to the existing city limits. Council members voted to accept a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant for planning improvements to Steven Street, beginning at Second Street.  

Bradley said the goal of an annexation ordinance is to ensure any proposal is a good deal for the city.  

"The financial impact that we're looking at has to do with the impact on the city's resources and whether there's going to be tax collected from whatever gets developed to offset that. We look at police; that's one in particular. Water and sewer connections – that's a big one, with the distance from where there are existing water and sewer connections. If it's too far away, it's going to be very expensive for the city to extend that, so there's parameters on that," Bradley said. 

Applicants would be required to include details on any proposed projects, such as the number of anticipated housing units or businesses.  

"We're weighing what that revenue stream could look like for the amount of people and the type of use that's going in, and then what those costs are on city resources and what the demand could be," she said. 

Annexation standards would include a mitigation process, for cases where proposed development might cost Mattawa money, she said. 

In answer to a question from council member Tony Acosta, Bradley said any ordinance would have to be written to fit Mattawa. 

"The most important thing is making sure – and this is subjective, but (that) what is put in here and is being asked of an applicant is considered fair, and that it's not an undue burden to them. In your eyes, this is legal, but it may not feel that way to developers," Bradley said. "Knowing that from you, since you're representatives of the community, would be helpful. Also, it's a legislative process, and you're the ones that are going to be reviewing this information that's received and making the ultimate decision, so if there's things in there that are not clear ... that probably means it's not clear to an applicant." 

The proposed ordinance would restrict the application period and establish timelines for approval or rejection. Mayor Maria Celaya asked why. 

"In the past we just took them as they came," Celaya said. 

Bradley said the timeline is part of the requirements under the city's comprehensive plan, which is in the process of being updated. Some annexation proposals could require zoning changes, which would trigger possible comprehensive plan adjustments. 

Council member Sun Hwang asked for Bradley's opinion on what he considered an important question. 

"As a city planner, do you want to see more annexation or not? Will it be good for the city?" Hwang asked.  

"It depends on the development that's going in," Bradley said.