County draws line in turf fight

Spokane County commissioners have a message about handing over unincorporated areas to the city of Spokane: “Over our dead bodies.”

Commissioners reacted angrily Tuesday to news reports suggesting they have a verbal agreement with Mayor Jim West over annexation of commercial and residential areas north of Francis Avenue. Commissioners said the only thing they’ve told West is, hands off.

“I think the mayor came to us and said, ‘We’d like to annex this property,’ and our response was ‘Over our dead bodies,’ ” said Commissioner Todd Mielke.

The area in question – north of Francis and west of Division Street – is home to a residential neighborhood, but also a new card room, a bustling Costco store and other businesses that pay significant taxes. City officials have been eyeing the narrow commercial strip along Division for some time.

“I’m sorry. You don’t balance your budget by going next door to your neighbor and saying, ‘I need you to pay my electric bill,’ ” said Commissioner Phil Harris of city officials’ desire to annex the area.

“We have no verbal agreement with the mayor at all,” he added.

Commissioner Mark Richard said he thought the reported agreement was with the previous board of county commissioners, something that Harris, a member of both the current and previous boards, disputed.

Harris said the only reason the previous board discussed the area with the city was in relation to an order from the Growth Management Hearings Board that the county and city discuss joint planning in urban areas bordering the city, not in relation to annexation.

West said Tuesday that there is no official agreement.

“There was never any signed agreement. There were discussions that sometime in the future (annexation) could be discussed,” West said.

Councilman Al French said he doesn’t care whether the mayor and commissioners have an agreement or not.

“It doesn’t matter. The city is providing services to the area,” and should annex it, French said.

Hold on, said commissioners. The area doesn’t receive city services, but gets them from other providers.

Water? Spokane County Water District 3 and Whitworth Water District 2.

Fire? Spokane County Fire District 9.

Policing? Spokane County Sheriff’s Department.

Sewer? The city installed some of the lines, but the area uses county designated capacity at the sewage treatment plant.

“If they want to fight over it, I’ll tear up the parking lots and reconnect them to county sewer,” said Mielke.

Mielke said he might agree to annexation under one condition – a public vote in favor of it.

In the 1980s, Linwood voted on city annexation, and turned it down, said Boundary Review Board Director Susan Winchell.

“If the residential part wants to be part of the county that’s fine. They seem happy with it,” said French.

Of course, providing services to the residential area would cost the city money, rather than provide revenue like the commercial strip along Division.

Just how much revenue? West said the city hasn’t done an analysis. “I suspect it’s quite a lot of money,” he said.

Many businesses along Division have covenants requiring them to go along with city annexation efforts, covenants West said he won’t force those property owners to honor.

“We’re not dragging people in kicking and screaming,” he said.

French, however, would like to enforce the covenants.

“At this point, we play it out and see how it turns out,” he said, acknowledging the county won’t let the west side of Division go without a fight. “The state has created a situation where it pits cities and counties against each other in the search for revenue.”

While covenants may be legal, they aren’t right if property owners are forced into them to get the services they need, said Mielke.

“Annexation by duress, I think it’s bad public policy,” he said.