A Senate committee has heard legislation that would repeal parts of a law allowing villages to incorporate in an alternative way rather than requiring a petition by two-thirds of the taxable inhabitants that is approved by the county commission.
Senator John Griesheimer (R-Washington) chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Local Government. He says this could become a concern anywhere in the state … and he’s looking at his own district, where it might happen.
Under the language which would be repealed, a city, town or village may incorporate after 15 percent of the registered voters in a jurisdiction petitions the county commission, which would then submit the idea to voters. In order to qualify for incorporation a village would only need to have the ability to furnish normal municipal services if it has at least 100 inhabitants. Griesheimer says this could lead to one property owner filing to become a village, thus circumventing all planning and zoning, land use regulations and building code regulations.
The bill could be voted out to the full Senate at next week’s meeting of the committee.
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