Clallam County commissioners helped pave the way for Port Angeles to annex the Eclipse Industrial Park on the city’s west side, passing guidelines that meet the county’s concerns for future annexations.
The city will extend its boundary to the industrial park along the south side of U.S. 101. Normally, the county would oppose such a “strip” annexation.
The county made no objection in this instance because the area needs city utilities — and those needs will increase when Washington Alder LLC builds a $23 million sawmill.
The county policy passed Tuesday — and which the city still must ratify — would govern future annexations along the north side of the highway.
Most importantly, the city would annex land in its western urban growth area, or UGA, in blocks, not strips, and include streets and highways in the annexations.
Other provisions of the interlocal agreement:
* The city will extend utilities to the area within 12 months.
* It will retain current house numbers and street names in annexed areas.
* The county will not appeal suitable westside annexations to the Boundary Review Board.
Property owners in the Eclipse annexation area have until Thursday to appeal. The review board still must select all its members before it can start business.
“This affects how the city will annex the UGA in the future,” said County Administrator Dan Engelbertson.
“It think it’s a good agreement, and it will take care of issues we have in the area.”