The city of Airway Heights is considering taking a second shot at annexing a one-square-mile area along its eastern border thats part of a broader West Plains area the city of Spokane also covets.


Spokane city officials say they likely would seek to block the city of Airway Heights from absorbing the commercially blossoming area, which straddles busy U.S. 2.


Airway Heights Mayor Matthew Pederson says property owners within the area have filed petitions with the city seeking to have it annexed. Combined, those property owners represent about 40 percent to 45 percent of the areas total assessed value.


Its nice to have those property owners taking the initiative (on annexation), other than the city, says Pederson. The percentage is building.


Property owners there continue to contact the city, he says, with people seeking information about annexation regularly.


Because of the interest shown by those property owners, and the potential for others to file petitions, the city has begun considering annexation, he says. He declines to say when the city might take the action.


The best opportunity for the city to grow is to the east, and the citys comprehensive plan says that the area being considered for annexation is suitable for that because of its proximity to the city, Pederson says.


Yet, the city of Spokane doesnt see it that way.


If they tried to annex that parcel wed probably protest, says Spokane City Administrator Ted Danek. We would prefer to work with Airway Heights directly to come up with a solution that would be palatable or agreeable for both of us.


Representatives from both cities met Tuesday in an effort to come up with a plan.


John Mercer, manager of capital programs in the city of Spokanes public works and utilities department, says Spokane is closely monitoring its neighbor to the west as it considers eastward expansion.


There is definitely a heightened sense of awareness that Airway Heights is again taking a look at a possible annexation east of Hayford Road, Mercer says. We are keeping a close eye on whats happening on the West Plains.


For the city of Spokanes staff, Mercer says, the current directive from the mayor and City Council is to take a look at some possible annexations of its own.


The West Plains is not the only area we are looking at, says Mercer. But its a pretty high-priority area for us.


Also a high priority, he says, is the Moran Prairie, south of Spokane.


As for the West Plains area, Mercer says, there are no active petitions for annexation that property owners there have filed with the city. Many property owners there, howeverincluding in the area that Airway Heights is considering annexinghave signed covenants with the city of Spokane through which they agreed not to oppose annexation in return for receiving city sewer and water service, he says.


We have quite a few covenants up in that area, says Mercer. He says the city has covenants for nearly every development built within the last approximately 25 years.


Within the area Airway Heights is considering sitamong some of the small businesses , residences, and undeveloped areaa Wal-Mart, Triumph Composite Systems plant, and Dealers Auto Auction.


Any proposal for annexation the city of Spokane considers will have to be fiscally sound, Mercer says.


The city must consider the costs of providing services to an annexed area, along with the amount of tax revenue that area will generate.


The cities are both obviously looking at the commercial area because of the tax it generates, says Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke. He contends that, State law does not give counties much of an ability to protect residents who wish to stay outside city limits.


Mielke says the county has had preliminary discussions with Airway Heights about a long-term agreement for sharing tax proceeds from the commercial area the city is looking to annex.


For cities like Airway Heights, the direct petition method of annexation requires that the owners of 60 percent of the assessed value of a proposed annexation area must agree to an annexation for it to go forward. The law requires that for any proposed annexation, the area must be within the citys urban growth area and must border the current city boundary. The area Airway Heights is seeking is within the Spokane County West Plains urban growth area-joint planning area.


In July 2002, the city of Airway Heights filed a notice of intention to annex the same area it is considering annexing now, which includes scattered residential, commercial, and industrial development.


The county Boundary Review Board denied the proposal early the following year, citing the citys lack of a capital facilities plan for the area and a lack of coordination with other jurisdictions and special-purpose districts when it had amended its comprehensive plan.


Since then, though, Pederson says, the city has developed a capital facilities plan and has modified its comprehensive plan in a way that should address the Boundary Review Boards concerns.


The action taken by the city of Airway Heights prompted the city of Spokane to file a notice of intention to annex more than 19 square miles of the West Plains, including the area sought by Airway Heights, Mercer says. The proposal was later withdrawn.


While acknowledging the city of Spokane provides water and sewer service to the area being considered, Pederson says Airway Heights provides some supporting police and fire services to property owners and residents there.


The land currently is under county jurisdiction, with Fire District No. 10 providing fire protection, and the Spokane County sheriffs office handling law enforcement.


Contact David Cole at (509) 344-1265 or via e-mail at davidc@spokanejournal.com.