Annexation – What’s in it for me?

The 400 or so residents living around the Capitol City Golf Course are not in the City of Lacey.   They are almost an island surrounded by Lacey and as such, are prime candidates for annexation into the city.

But residents of the area aren’t certain there is any benefit to joining with the city.   That question came up time and time again when homeowners and city staff met in a work session last week.   “What’s in it for us” was the most often asked question.

Referred to several times in the discussion was the streets in the sub-division.  Residents want the city to take over the streets if they annex.  The city says the streets are private property.  On and on it went.   What the property owners want, the city can’t give.  So residents continue to ask, “What’s in it for us?”

The city responded that under the Growth Management Act, the sub-division will eventually have to be annexed into the city since it is almost an island, surrounded by the city.

The answer didn’t convince the property owners, although they seem resigned to the eventuality that, they would soon become tax-paying, proud residents and voters in the City of Lacey.