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Battle Ground to gain 117 more residents and Christian school

Annexation adding 98 acres to city goes into effect Nov. 18

By Marissa Harshman, Columbian Health Reporter
Published: October 24, 2010, 12:00am

The city of Battle Ground will soon have 117 more residents, a small Christian school and an additional 98 acres of land within its city limits.

The Battle City Council on Monday voted unanimously to annex the unincorporated area southwest of the city. The ordinance goes into effect Nov. 18.

Officials with the Firm Foundation Christian School have worked for more than two years to garner the support required to move the annexation process forward.

“We’re thrilled about the outcome,” said Julie Olson, development director at Firm Foundation. “We’re excited about the prospect of moving forward and becoming part of the city.”

The annexation process requires two petitions, the first carrying signatures from owners of 10 percent, by value, of the land to be annexed. The second step requires a petition with 60 percent. The school submitted the 10 percent petition in December 2007 and the 60 percent petition last month.

During the summer, school officials went door to door to meet neighbors and explain the annexation request and ask for support, Olson said. They gathered signatures from owners of 62 percent, by value, of the land, she said.

The annexed area includes 44 parcels totaling 98 acres that will be zoned as residential. The eastern border of the area is Northeast 112th Avenue; to the south is Northeast 199th Street. The northern edge is the prior Battle Ground city limits, and the western border is composed of various property lines. A group of landowners along Northeast 104th Avenue asked to be left out of the annexation request and remain in unincorporated Clark County.

The added land will generate an additional $26,420 per year in property tax revenue for the city, based on the current property values and city tax rate of $1.73 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The addition is likely to mean an increased number of police calls and routine patrols, according to the city. The city estimates the additional cost to the police department to be about $28,550. The city also will be responsible for maintaining the added stretches of Northeast 199th Street and Northeast 112th Avenue, which, once inside city limits, will become Southwest 20th Avenue.

The city and the annexed area will both continue to receive fire protection from Clark County Fire & Rescue.

Firm Foundation asked the city this summer to consider annexing the land under a new method that does not require petitions. The school had been able to obtain signatures from owners of only 58 percent, by value, of the land. The city council discussed the option, but instead asked the applicants to try reaching out to the landowners to gather the additional signatures.

Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.

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Columbian Health Reporter