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Vancouver should annex Hazel Dell

The Columbian
Published: June 16, 2010, 12:00am

In our present state of the economy, isn’t it time to consider bolstering the influence of Southwest Washington by making Vancouver the second-largest city in the state? That could be done by annexing Hazel Dell to Vancouver. It seems both Vancouver and Hazel Dell would gain from such a move. It ought to happen, but it won’t happen soon.

Former Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard gave the merger a nudge in his speech June 3 after receiving honors as Vancouver’s First Citizen. Hazel Dell, he said, can benefit greatly with Vancouver’s help. Now, he said, it sits quietly at the crossroads of its future.

On the other hand, Vancouver needs further expansion before it can claim title to the second-largest city in Washington. The logical direction to grow is north. With second-largest size, it would claim more state and federal funding with that increase.

In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau put Spokane’s numbers at 202,319, making it second largest in the state to Seattle. Tacoma in the same year had a population of 197,181 as the state’s third largest, and Vancouver stood in fourth place with a people count of 163,186.

Annexation of Hazel Dell appears to have been discussed as early as 1909. Annexation of Hazel Dell may have been defeated in the 1960s, but that could not be verified. The most recent action was a “New City” incorporation vote in November 1997, according to Tim Likness, the county’s director of elections. More than 70 percent of voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea of turning Hazel Dell into a city.

That election did define the boundaries of Hazel Dell: The west and south boundaries were Lake River and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks to Vancouver’s northern city limit. The eastern border zigzagged on Northeast 30th, N.E. 39th and N.E. 50th Avenues. On the north, 179th Street (fairgrounds) defined most of the Hazel Dell territory. Its estimated population was 65,000.

Numbers bolster claim

Using those numbers, which obviously have changed in the past two years, Vancouver would be the second-largest city in the state. Asked to expand his remarks, former Mayor Pollard hesitated about a plunge toward annexation. “I truly believe Hazel Dell should be a part of Vancouver. However, we need to know at what cost.” He said he would not make a final decision until an economic analysis is made that shows the full costs versus the benefits to Vancouver. He did predict the county cannot continue to provide urban services to an area that is urban in fact, and not rural.

Asked his opinion, Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt stated the city’s Annexation Blueprint, “prepared in collaboration with leadership in Clark County government, anticipates an annexation of the Hazel Dell area in … 15 to 20 years.” He added that infrastructure — roads, pedestrian and bicycle paths — must be maintained. His statement declared he is “not inclined to support large annexations of substandard, suburban/rural residential unincorporated areas of Clark County.” He added he wants to see the city become “better before we become bigger.”

Mike Greene, a Hazel Dell resident who opposed “New City,” said the community would have had to “outsource” its services if incorporated, a costly prospect. Bud Van Cleve, Hazel Dell activist sometimes viewed as unofficial “mayor of Hazel Dell,” dislikes annexation and believes the area is doing pretty well on its own. “The city does not have anything to offer us.”

Fire district consolidation is already under discussion, according to Vancouver Fire Chief Don Bivins’ May 1 statement in The Columbian. Bivins’ administrative duties extend outside the city limits. Regionalization may be part of the new structure, Bivins said.

Meanwhile, current annexation activity is low-key, said Suzan Wallace, director of annexation for Vancouver. Only a 16-parcel addition is under consideration.

It would appear Hazel Dell — a nice place to live but neither rural nor urban — will remain packed tight with people, traffic and small businesses for some time to come.

Eventually, it must become part of Vancouver. It can’t continue in splendid isolation.

Tom Koenninger is editor emeritus of The Columbian. His column of personal opinion appears on Wednesdays. Reach him at koenninger@comcast.net.

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