Annexation: A term you need to know

Annexation: What is it, why do cities do it and why should we care?

Two articles in recent days, about the cities of Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene considering annexing contiguous neighborhoods, merit a deeper look at this process.

First, while annexation is an old local government practice across the globe, in the U.S. it’s separately controlled at the state level, so what comes next might vary a little across state lines.

In short, annexation is what cities do to help manage resources, services and infrastructure with private property. In other words, it’s a way to connect roads, utilities, police and fire services and so on for private land, which sits just on the outskirts of a city with the decision makers and tax dollars who can set it up and keep it going.

Idaho Code 50-222 provides cities the power to annex lands which are “reasonably necessary to assure orderly development,” “allow efficient and economically viable (tax and fee) supported municipal services,” and “equitably allocate the costs of public services … on the urban fringe.”

That’s not like eminent domain, however. It generally requires landowner consent. The land to be annexed must be contiguous to city limits and included as part of the city’s comprehensive plan. Once that’s established there is no public hearing required (it is, after all, private land); city council just passes an ordinance to annex it.

Depending upon the nature of that land, such as for a multiple parcel development, not all landowners need consent. That’s a “category B” annexation: Less than 100 separately owned parcels where not all owners have consented, or more than 100 parcels with a majority of owners consenting (another consent exception exists for water or sewer connections). Category B annexations do have public hearings.

This isn’t just about city control; it’s about equity. Annexation spreads the tax burden further across all who benefit from city services. It can also prevent checkerboard jurisdiction and city limits, where it’s hard to determine whether you’re in or out of a city depending on what street you’re on. That’s a confusing situation not just for wandering newcomers, but for local businesses trying to operate efficiently.

Yeah, it’s a dry topic. But in an area such as ours exploding with growth, it’s bound to come up with increasing frequency. And it’s part of what determines what this community will look like — and how smoothly it can be managed for the benefit of everyone.

The City of Meridian has a good overview for more information: bit.ly/38CRtAF.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network who appreciates city planners. Email sholeh@cdapress.com.