Annexation

Residents within the annexed areas will see a 6 percent City of Vancouver utility tax applied to bills for electricity, natural gas and telephone services. These are taxes on the utility/company, and shown as a separate line item on customer’s bill. Those who have sewer service from Clark Regional Wastewater District will see a 6 percent interlocal fee, which is equivalent to the 6 percent city utility tax. Revenues from this utility tax go to the City’s General Fund, which supports a variety of city services and programs including fire, police, parks, code compliance and much more.

Any city or town in the state of Washington has the ability to charge up to a 6 percent utility tax on electricity, gas, steam and telephone services without voter approval. The authority of cities and towns to impose the tax derives from their general authority to impose excise taxes on businesses doing business within their boundaries. The utility tax discussed here is not the same as the tax applied to city-owned utilities such as water, sewer, stormwater and garbage.

The impact of annexation on your utility bills depends on what services you already receive and who provides them.​

• If the City currently provides your water and sewer service, your utility bill will decrease because base rates for City-provided water and sewer services are lower inside the City than outside of it.
• Rates for customers who receive their water service from Clark Public Utility District will generally stay the same, because the City utility tax does not currently apply to these providers. Customers who have sewer service from Clark Regional Wastewater District will see a six percent interlocal fee, equivalent to the City utility tax on electricity, natural gas and telephone bills..
• Upon annexation, a utility tax of six percent will apply to your electricity, natural gas and telephone bills.
• Upon annexation, residents will be required to pay a monthly fee of $8.79 (2016 rate) for stormwater drainage. Non-residential customers also pay a similar stormwater fee based on the amount of impervious area associated with their property.
• City residents are required to have a subscription to garbage and recycling service. Yard debris recycling is also included as an optional service.

No. Property taxes will decrease following annexation, because the City has a lower millage rate than the County. Property taxes are determined by multiplying the property value by the applicable millage rate. The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 that is used to calculate taxes on a property.

The financial impacts of annexation are unique for each property, and depend on several factors, including what services the residents of that property currently use.

Yes. The senior and disabled citizen property tax programs are available statewide and will continue to apply following annexation. Other property tax programs such as forestry, open space and agriculture will also continue to apply under the same parameters following annexation.

No. You can continue to use a septic system and/or well after annexation. Continued use of an existing septic system is allowed unless there is a system failure and a determination is made by the Clark County Public Health District that connection to a public sewer system is required. If you are interested in connecting to the City’s sewer system, you can utilize the City’s Sewer Connection Incentive Program (SCIP) to assist you with doing so. To learn more about SCIP, call 360-487-7130.

No, your service provider will not change due to annexation.

No. Your property will not be charged for water or sewer service unless it is connected to the public system.

Yes. A subscription to garbage and recycling service is required for all residents in the City of Vancouver. You may choose from many different service levels to suit your needs and budget. Waste Connections will continue to be your service provider, but your rates will change.​

No, not for taxing purposes. Comcast is a utility, but the City collects a franchise fee from Comcast on a quarterly basis in lieu of a utility tax.

It depends on what fire district you are currently located in. If you are located in the Fire District 5 service area, then you are already being served by the City of Vancouver. If you are located in the service area of Fire District 3 or 6, your fire service provider will change to the City of Vancouver.

No. Most carriers base auto insurance rates on zip codes, and homeowner insurance rates are based on factors unrelated to annexation.

No. Businesses in the City and County both currently apply an 8.4% sales tax rate.

No. Similar to school and library districts, the Port District is a separate taxing district that currently includes land located in both the City and County. Annexation will not change taxes paid to the Port District.

No. School district boundaries are independent of city boundaries and will not change as a result of annexation.

Upon annexation, the City will work with all newly annexed residents to establish city neighborhood associations. Neighborhood associations are private organizations, established and maintained by the residents of the neighborhood, and recognized by City Council. In neighborhood associations, residents work together to develop solutions for shared challenges. The City provides support to its recognized neighborhood associations in order to create a strong sense of community in Vancouver. For additional questions about neighborhood associations, please contact the Neighborhoods Coordinator at 360-487-8608 or neighborhoods@cityofvancouver.us.

Yes. You will be able to vote in City elections, including elections for City Councilmembers. The Vancouver City Council has seven members, including a mayor.

They are elected from the city at-large and serve four-year terms. Vancouver citizens are eligible to serve on City Council or sit on one of its 22 boards and commissions. You will continue to vote for County Councilors based on the district in which you live, and voting in state and federal elections will not change based on annexation.

Following annexation, the City will assign the same or most similar zoning designation to what currently exists in Clark County. For example, a single-family residential zone with a 6,000 s.f. minimum lot size (R1-6 zone) in the County will be converted to a single-family residential zone with a minimum lot size of 5,000 s.f. and a maximum lot size of 7,400 s.f. (R-9) in the City. A General Commercial (CG) zone in the County will be converted to a General Commercial (CG) zone in the City.

City code limits the number of animals to three dogs, five cats, five hens and five rabbits per lot, with some exceptions for juvenile animals and larger lots. It prohibits peacocks, roosters and turkeys. Barring any health or safety issues, the City will not ask people to get rid of any animals they legally own at the time of annexation. Instead, we ask that people come into compliance with the limits described above over time.

No. The City and County work together to ensure that land use applications that are currently being reviewed by the County will transition smoothly to the City. Projects currently vested to the County’s standards will not have to conform to the City’s standards, unless there is a change to the original proposal.

Uses that are legally established in the County can continue in the City after annexation. If and when an established use changes, it will be required to conform to City standards. In addition, existing uses that are not legally permitted in the County will be required to conform to City standards after annexation. City code enforcement, like the County, is complaint-driven. After annexation, please direct code enforcement questions or complaints to the City’s Code Enforcement Department: 360-487-7810 or report a concern.

With more than 1,810 lanes miles of paved streets, the City of Vancouver utilizes an extensive process to identify and prioritize safety, capacity and pavement preservation needs. In late 2015, the City adopted a long-term strategy to help provide the resources needed to take care of our City’s streets system. These additional funds will ramp up over time to provide increased maintenance and improvements citywide. Upon completion of an annexation, the City will evaluate each of the public streets within the annexation area to determine pavement condition and consider whether major capital reconstruction will be needed. Each street will be prioritized and incorporated into the City’s maintenance and pavement preservation program. Future capital street improvements will be identified and incorporated into the City’s transportation improvement program.

The City values the role sidewalks play in providing safe and enhanced walkability throughout the neighborhoods and business districts. The City is currently in the process of reviewing sidewalk and mobility needs throughout the City, and identifying potential resources to address them. Following annexation, the City will evaluate each of the public streets within the annexation area to determine the need for sidewalk and other pedestrian mobility improvements. The needs for each street will be prioritized and incorporated into the City’s pedestrian improvement programs.

Areas annexed into the City will be incorporated into the City’s existing Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) program. Depending on the location of the annexation, the annexed area will be added to one of three different TIF areas, each with its own established fee.

Yes. All security alarm owners must register the alarm and obtain a permit through the Vancouver Police Alarm Unit. Alarm users are asked to register within 30-days of annexation to avoid administrative sanctions. Alarm permits are $20 annually unless you qualify for age (62+) or economic exemption. If you currently have an alarm permit through the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, you are encouraged to cancel the permit at the time of annexation by calling 360-397-2127. Please direct any security alarm ordinance and registration questions to the Vancouver Police Alarm Unit.

Yes. The City of Vancouver requires each person or entity that conducts business in the City to hold a valid City business license, even if qualified for an exemption from city license fees (e.g., if a business earns less than $12,000 in average annual gross receipts). The City is partnered with the State of Washington Business Licensing Service (BLS) for the handling of its new and renewing City business licenses. You can apply for, or renew, your City business license and any other applicable State licenses at the BLS website, or on paper by mail. In addition to the City business license, some businesses must also hold a special license that is issued by the City.

Any business that is using a residence within the City limits as its physical address is required to follow Home Occupation requirements. Depending on the type of business, you may need a Home Occupation Permit. For more information, contact City of Vancouver Planning staff at 360-487-7803.

Yes. Under State Law, the City is required to complete a census for each annexed area, typically within 30 days of the date of annexation.

There are several annexation methods authorized by state law. If Council directs staff to move forward with the proposed Van Mall North Annexation, the City will utilize the Sixty Percent Petition method. This requires a petition of the owners of at least 60 percent of the property value in the proposed annexation area. This method does not require a vote.

The City has already obtained signatures from 60 percent of the proposed Van Mall North area, via utility covenants that people sign when they purchase their homes and connect to City services. Regardless of the method of annexation used, State Law requires the annexing jurisdiction to hold public hearings on any proposed annexation. Hearings are an opportunity for community members to give testimony to Council on the proposal.

The Annexation Blueprint Plan (2007) was an effort by the City and County to outline a sequence and timeline for annexation, in order for both jurisdictions make decisions about future budgets and service levels. After adoption, the City proceeded with the Blueprint timeline, annexing Columbia River and Section 30, and began the process of annexing Van Mall North just prior to the start of the economic recession. At that time, the City and County decided that annexation was not an essential service and stopped active annexations. The annexation timeline in the Blueprint Plan in intended to be flexible and responsive to current conditions. Further, the Interlocal Agreement on Annexation between the County and City is clear that deviations in timing and sequencing from the Blueprint schedule shall not constitute violations to the agreement. In January 2016, the Vancouver City Council directed staff to update the analysis of the proposed Van Mall North annexation area, which was underway when annexation work was halted due to the recession. They have not indicated if and when they will proceed with other annexations.

As of August 1, street lights will be maintained by City of Vancouver Operations. Please note that properties within previously created special Lighting Utility Districts (LUD) will continue to pay down remaining capital costs on property tax bills, as previously required. LUD maintenance is billed 12 months in arrears, with costs for each past year included on the current year’s property tax bills. Therefore, 2018 property tax bills for those LUD properties will reflect January-July 2017 maintenance performed by Clark Public Utilities.