"Annexations would double city's size"

[Chief]

The headline from the morning paper is a bit misleading, because the plan Jeff Mize is presenting is a bit more complex than a headline can indicate.

This 20 year plan between Vancouver and Clark County looks reasonable to me on first read, and based only on what the columbian is reporting. I will be downloading and posting what City Council's agenda has to say for certain, but my initial read on this is as follows:

Salmon Creek, Felida, Hazel Dell, or Three Creeks; this is your wakeup call to decide once and for all what you all intend to do individually or collectively, about the way your areas are growing. The County isn't going to be able to address your long term needs, and the City shouldn't continue to provide sewer and water to you the way it is doing now. This issue deserves to be addressed directly, and some concrete decision has to be made about how best to represent the needs of that area.

The clock is going to start ticking on a process that will ultimately end up with the City of Vancouver moving to aggressively annex your areas, if you cotinue to squabble over what your area really wants to do.

I see this proposal as a reasonable plan to deviate from, so to speak, because it appears to me to provide a reasonable means, and a reasonable time frame for those areas to have a serious discussion and make a reasoned decision about exactly what to do in response to this plan. If they fail to reach a decison in that timeframe, I think it is reasonable for the City to annex away, and i would support a decison at that time, if those circumstances were to prevail.

In short, this plan looks entirely reasonable and customary to me, on first review. I reserve the right to change that assessment should other facts come to light.

Let me stress the word "plan" here. I can guess what the usual suspects here in town will be howling about over this, simply because they do not understand what this plan really means, nor do they have any desire to do so. This is not a done deal, but a plan to proceed to a done deal, and it appears to be a creative and reasonable path to a solution on this.

I'll put up a link to the story later, and like I said, will post the actual agenda for City Council in the appropriate forum, later today.

Developing...

[Chief]

http://columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12022007_Annexations-would-double-citys-size.cfm

[Waterbuffalo]

Have we not been discussing this very subject for months now during the UGA and CMP process? Sounds like a plan is finally coming together between the two entities and for the past long time, those areas had every chance to change this.

Wish them the best of luck.. But I think the writing was on the wall a long time ago.....

(Where is karma when you need her? :-D )

[Chief]

this must be resolved, one way or another. Either vote to incorporate and start acting like a responsible local Government, or the City of Vancouver will decide for you. It is not reasonable to continue with the status quo. Many of the regional transportati issues we discuss here daily are affected by what this area does.

Frankly, I cannot see how we can proceed with any kind of regional transit plans until that area and group of residents clearly decides what they really want. Light rail can't proceed North of the existing City limits, and if Vancouver annexes that area, suddenly they have access to land almost all of the way up to the Fairgrounds. that changes the entire calculus for transit.

And what if that area incorporates, and decides they want nothing to do with Vancouver's light rail?? What if they decide they want it up I-205 instead??

You can see that there is a lot on the table here, and we need a decision on this in a relatively short time.

[karma]

Buff, she has been watching the creek rise or should I say the ship sinking?? The lack of leadership is what is killing this area!! I will say this again
if you thought East County was a great annexation just wait City of Vancouver when you annex your so call UGB and the mess out here!! The New City vote was enough to tell those behind it to back off but these folks still have no clue as to why it failed?? They have no clue on a lot of things and all one needs to do is take a look at what Hazel Dell is doing now, what a mess!! The writing is on the walls and to continue with the path it's on now, well Portland is looking really good about now!!! Lack of leadership on all counts is what is going to truly sink this side of the river and let me say is now, "I told you so!" Buff, no one is taking a serious look at GMA and it's just time to watch those that think they are in 'Power' fail!! Nothing but puppets using each other and when the strings get cut, everyone is screwed!! I kind of like my silence and watching they all flap in the wind???

[Chief]

I have heard from a couple of Clarkblog Advisers, who agree with my analysis of the VUGA, and who also urge me to clarify my comments a bit.

The City of Vancouver does not provide water and sewer to this whole area. In fact, Vancouver provide no services, not even fire. It's actually one of the major reasons why Vancouver's Annexation Blueprint has that area being further out in the proposed annexing pipeline, and a reason why the City and the County needed to convene an advisory council in the area. There are many different service providers (Clark County, Fire District, Clark Regional Wastewater District, and others) who will be around the table with citizens, to figure out the best path forward.

Water and sewer from the City of Vancouver is run into the Orchards area which is the City of Vancouver's priority for annexation. Current water and sewer providers in "Three Creeks" area are Clark Public Utilities, and Hazel Dell.

One thing we all agree about, is that this is a wakeup call for the residents in those areas, and notice that the process will move forward. I support that concept completely, and if this can be satisfactorily resolved, could cut some expenses for the County and the City both.

The feedback I am hearing about this discussion reinforces my view that I'm on the right track with this. I like this agreement because it proposes a reasonable path for an informed public discussion on a big problem that must be solved. This affects a lot of different things, and it is vital to take a larger view of things and not get stuck on relatively minor details...

If Portland had agreed to a form of this process (and stuck to it!!) they might have been surprised at the reaction of people along Interstate to a name change...

Food for thought about the applicability of this to other subjects...

;D

[tefen]

My question is why will this be more effective than the previous blueprint? Since the Cascade Park annexation, they've not even made baby steps toward annexing any additional land. I think currently it's a parcel by parcel prcoess.

From the article:

The document is hardly a novel approach; Vancouver has had an annexation blueprint since 1993. Yet Vancouver is woefully behind in achieving its annexation aims. The existing plan, last updated in 1997, was for 10 years and envisioned that much of the Vancouver urban growth area would have been folded into the city limits by now. The updated plan sets a more realistic schedule for when those areas could be annexed.

and

The city's (new) annexation blueprint doesn't envision Vancouver adding those areas for at least 10 years.


How is this new "10 years" a more realistic schedule than the last "10 years"? It sounds like they're agreeing to the same plan they've had all along. Namely, that things within the boundary can be annexed if it's not already part of another city. No real change there, and the residents of the area should have been aware of that decades ago. Worst case scenario is that they should have realized it in 1993, or 1997 when the document was updated.

If you ask me, the notice was given and this new notice doesn't provide any new weight or serve any purpose other than extending the deadline.

[Chief]

Again, this is a plan to deviate from. I think some of the individual issues you point out tefen are discussiuons for another day.

The most significant feature of this agreement is that there are three distinct areas identified, and time allowed to complete discussions in those communities about if or when they intend to Incorporate. That wasn't part of the last agreement, because it simply wasn't an issue at the time.

The last agreement was made when there was still a Boundary Review Board. We all know the story about that, and no need to dredge that up again too. Let's say that this agreement is a way forward after that mistake as well...

I think this document establishes some pretty firm deadlines this time tefen, the final one being when the City of Vancouver wil end this by annexxing these areas with no further discussion about it.

The clock starts ticking tonight when Council passes this Resolution.

[karma]

First of all this is not the 'Three Creeks' area, that is a name that was give to the Library and to call this area that is miss labeling!! We have areas that should be called by their names; Lake Shore, Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Mt Vista, Felida and whatever is left out there. Each area can say to the City come annex us and to lable this as Three Creeks is pure crap!! The City should be looking at each area separately not just one lump area.
I think if they did this it would make for more sense in annexing as they go. There has been some talk in taking over some of these services and to be exact some of the sewer services do go to the City in our area. Let's get real here, 'Vancouver Urban Growth Boundaries' is what we have to look forward to in our future and to call it anything else is pure hogwash!!! If these services can't stand on their own then they should be looking at joining into the Vancouver City services, wishing it wasn't so just shows the area citizens just how bad these NA folks are??

[Waterbuffalo]

Chief I like your idea of calling it three separate areas.

In that document, did they stress how they were going to deal with the transportation bottlenecks that might become like Mill Plain along the Highway 99 corridor at the usual suspect places?

Transportation is going to be one of three HUGE things that is going to have to be dealt with in the future. Along with the basic fire, water, sewer and police services, transportation improvements are sorely lacking and probably are just as bad as 18th street out here in the East side..

[Chief]

I'm not the one calling it three separate areas; that is how the County and the City are defining it, and that is the change I was referring to. The paper had a color map that showed the boundaries, along with the timetable for annexations of each of the three.

[Waterbuffalo]

Didn't see this in our discussion.. But here is a link to some reference material..

www.cityofvancouver.us/annexation.

[tefen]

http://columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12052007_County-Vancouver-will-cooperate-on-growth.cfm


Morris said she believes the agreement will cause future friction with city council members who might become irked if the county doesn't support a particular annexation.

"The agreement does not bind the county in any way, shape or form to endorse or support the annexation blueprint," she said. "But most people think that it does."


Again, it doesn't sound like anything is changing. The county has agreed to sign this to get what they want, but it's nothing more enforceable than what was in place before.

[karma]

Hey gang, it was Morris that stated a while back, just so you know! When a new set of commissioners or even city council folks come in they don't have to do what was agreed upon by the previous group. This was stated when the Felida folks thought they had finially had an agreement with the County on the West Felida Plan. She just tossed it all out the window!! So let this be a lesson that the City might want to heed???

[Waterbuffalo]

Tefen: When you have a small city promoter as Morris is, what do you expect when she hates seeing Vancouver getting so much attention?

IF this doesn't clear up the rift between those two ego poweristics of local government, it will end up in court and waste a whole heck of a lot of time.

And I'll be the first one on the podium verbally backlashing both of the sides for wasting tax payer money?? (QUOTE ME ON THIS ONE!)

With the Mayor of America's Vancouver retiring soon, Morris leaving, we might have some smarter and cooler heads that might prevail.

And I know Karma, your going to say that the county is just going to be the same old, same old with this new woman running for Morris's seat. As far as I am concerned, I want to give her a chance before I throw her to the wolves.

AS far as I am concerned, this is situation is done. The only thing left is dealing with a few indiscriminate lawsuits that can be taken care of..

[karma]

Buff, I'm feeling a huge bet coming up on this issue??? Look at Brokaw's track record and what she has already stated in the rag and tell me I'm not right?? Where is her endorsement from the BS or Stuart or the city or the Columbian or the Oregonian of which she has worked for? It appears she is being endorsed but the development community and we all know that is the same old same old?? Let's just state that being the first out doesn't always make for good news? I'm betting there will be many more in this attempt for BS's chair and it' will either come down to a City or County selected person in hopes to change this areas minds on annexation?? I'm even betting the BS will step down like Mag did and that way the seat will be clearly selected for election time in continueing the BS legacy??

[karma]

Let me further add with all the little taxing agendas that folks are pushing out there we would be better off in the City as folks
want those City serices???

[Waterbuffalo]

Hope you enjoy joining the Vancouver Rodeo soon enough? :-)

Not going to bet against you Karma..

[karma]

Buff, look at it this way. GMA requires that Vancouver has an urban growth boundary, like it or not that is where we live. Calling a horse by another color isn't going to change State laws and the attempt of the New City failed. End of story, I'm just as tired as the next guy of paying for City services without having the benefits of being in a City. It's either hammer ya with personal agendas or be added to the City where some of us feel they will have to really change their business one we are all added. They can't continue to do business the same and be a large city???