The City Council has accepted “notice of intent to annex” petitions from property owners in the Southwest Basin. The proposed annexation would involve approximately 200 acres, depending on one of three proposals, and would be called the Southern Properties Annexation.

A notice of intent petition must comprise 10 percent of the property owners in the area under proposal.
City Supervisor Frank Sweet said that once the council accepts the motion, then they would look at water, wastewater, power.

“We gather information and then hold a public hearing,” Sweet said.

The City Council will review the petitions, and then must obtain at least 60 percent of the property owners in the proposed annexation area.

The decision to accept the proposed annexation is under the council’s purview and will be determined after the council gathers information and holds a public meeting to discuss the proposal.

The property is between Crusher Canyon Road and what would be Southern Avenue if it were extended up the canyon and is designated moderate density but would be zoned whatever the council decides, said City Planner, Dennis Davison.

Property owner, Carmen Lowrie, read a statement to the council, cautioning them to first form a study group to analyze traffic issues at Southern Avenue and First Street.

“This area has been petitioned in past years for annexation, yet no studies or group has been formed to come up with a traffic solution for this area,” Lowrie said. “No application for funding is in process.”

“The intersection at Southern Avenue and First Street remains low on the list of priorities for improvements.”

Lowrie estimated that new projects in the area proposed for annexation has the potential of generating more than 13,000 vehicle trips per day to the Southern Avenue intersection at First Street.

In 2003 the City Council adopted the Selah Urban Growth Area Comprehensive Plan Amendment 2002-1 (Southwest Basin Sub-Area Transportation and Utility Corridor Map) as recommended by the Selah Planning Commission.