Our Voice: Pasco’s request for annexation law change laudable

Pasco city officials recently discussed their legislative priorities for next year, and there is one that is particularly appealing because it has the potential to benefit cities and homeowners statewide.

It has to do with annexation, a controversial topic that has, in recent years, caused dissension between the city and some Franklin County property owners.

The proposed new law, which has yet to be drafted, would require more thorough notification to home buyers in urban growth areas if the previous owners signed utility agreements waiving the right to fight being annexed.

It is an idea that makes sense and we hope our local legislators will take it on.

Currently, if the previous homeowners received city water or sewer service in exchange for agreeing to the city’s future annexation plans, then the new homeowners also must agree to that arrangement as well.

That’s the law.

The trouble is, many people are overwhelmed when they purchase a new home. This particular requirement often ends up buried under several other documents that must be signed, and new homeowners often don’t remember it.

Then when the city is ready to annex their property, they are caught off guard and resist the effort. This has been the case in Pasco over the last few years, and most recently last summer.

In June, the Pasco City Council voted to annex 688 acres section of unincorporated land west of Road 80 in Franklin County. It has about 437 homes, 1,224 residents and includes McLoughlin Middle School and Ruth Livingston Elementary.

City utilities already reached most of the area, with a large number of residents already having previously signed powers of attorney to receive city water.

But four residents have sued the city in an attempt to block the plan, and the lawsuit is pending.

Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins said city officials are “not tone deaf” to people who say they didn’t know the city had the authority to annex their property, and this proposed new law might help alleviate future problems.

The idea is to somehow make any annexation agreements stand out during the home buying process so people know it is a possibility when they make the purchase.

Pasco City Manager Dave Zabell said that “nobody likes to be surprised” and people who didn’t know about the annexation and utility arrangement often oppose it at first because they didn’t expect it.

Many people who live in the county like their rural lifestyle and they don’t want to lose it. But plans to annex unincorporated areas near Pasco have been in the works for years, and property owners long ago agreed to eventually allow their land to fall within city limits in return for city water.

They may pay a fee for certain utilities, but it is not the same as contributing to the city as a whole. If they get city services, they should pay city taxes.

And yet, people continue to fight annexation every time Pasco attempts it.

Making people more aware of annexation arrangements when they buy a home might not make them happier when the city finally moves to incorporate their property, but at least they won’t be caught off guard. Providing better notice is a good idea.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Our Voice: Pasco’s request for annexation law change laudable."