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Esperance residents may have a new reason to celebrate.
The Snohomish County Council unanimously voted Dec. 17 during a public hearing to move forward with a substitute ordinance that would rezone parts of the County’s Southwest Urban Growth Area, excluding Esperance.
“On a personal note I’m thrilled because this gives me a way to show my son – use your powers for good,” Esperance resident Colleen McDonald told the My Neighborhood News Group.
Since May, McDonald and other residents have voiced their concerns about the original ordinance, which would have rezoned Esperance from R-8,400 (single-family lots) to Low Density Multiple Residential (multi-family housing).
Esperance is a 448-acre unincorporated piece of land surrounded by the City of Edmonds. About 4,000 people live there, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Residents have said the rezone would lead to increased traffic and less greenery, among other things. The Olympic View Water and Sewer District as well as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have also expressed concerns.
The County Council held a public hearing on the original ordinance Oct. 1, during which Councilmembers unanimously voted to refer back the ordinance to the county Planning and Community Development Committee.
Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 17, McDonald said she and other residents have spoken with County Councilmembers and City of Edmonds staff to find a solution. The focus now is on the possibility of Esperance annexing into Edmonds.
McDonald said plans are underway for a meeting in January to start the conversation about annexation.
Esperance residents have created a group on Facebook called “Esperance Neighborhood Alliance” to share updates and information. Those interested can join here.
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.
Well speaking from
experience as an Esperance resident annexed into Edmonds in as I remember the late 1990’s. You will be SO sorry if you vote to annex into Edmonds, you gain next to nothing. You are the relative no one wants to invite to the dinner but your money is welcome so you will pay through the nose on everything and in whatever manner they choose to collect it. You mean nothing but your money does and everything is double or triple what you have been paying with the county. And they can change your zoning when ever it suits them, they did ours. The priority is “the Bowl” area and that hasn’t changed in the 53 years I’ve been here. Right now they are in financial straights , a lot of mishandling and incompetence, not new and no attempt at correcting anything, the answer is to collect MORE from us. Everything is a mess and no indication that will change. If you have a choice check out your options!
And the next step will be The Planning Board recommending mid-rise mixed use tall and skinny zoning for you. Fight like hell if you want a single family feel or prepare for density. I suspect its a hell of a lot more difficult for the County to redone than it is for Edmonds….
Understood, but esperance is too small to matter to th county government. Taxation without representation is the norm as the voting power of the area is dilluted against the entire county meaning you have better luck getting the attention of a brick wall than anyone at the county level. Rampant lack of traffic enforcement, literally never even seen any emphasis patrol by the sheriff and Edmonds cops only show up until the sheriff arrives. Lack of any infrastructure improvements by the county while taxes go up and up. Unlike the Edmonds, where we would have one representative and be part of the 99 area, and a Mayor to at least talk to, the county is so big and breurocratic that it couldn’t care less about esperance. Plus everything Edmonds decides affects esperance by the fact it is surrounded but we have zero say in anything from parks, to traffic management, to what goes on in 99. It truly is taxation without representation.
At the moment, the City of Edmonds is in a full-blown governance and financial crisis. Coming from an Edmonds resident. Ongoing budget instability, repeated mid-biennial corrections, uncertainty around taxes and service levels, and a lack of long-term planning make it difficult to argue that annexation would benefit Esperance right now.
Annexation should be about stability, accountability, and improved services. Edmonds is currently struggling to provide those outcomes to its existing residents, let alone absorb new ones. Adding Esperance into that environment would expose residents to higher taxes and policy volatility without clear, guaranteed service improvements.
While being unincorporated comes with its own frustrations, it also avoids importing Edmonds’ unresolved problems. Until the City demonstrates fiscal discipline, a credible long-term plan, and reliable delivery of core services, annexation would be premature.
Esperance residents should not be asked to assume risk for problems they did not create. The prudent path is to remain unincorporated for now, continue pressing the County for accountability and targeted improvements, and reassess annexation only when Edmonds has clearly stabilized and earned the trust of its own community first.
Lee speaking as a 28 year homeowner in an Edmonds neighborhood I call “the Edmonds that Edmonds forgot”, you are 100% correct. Esperance will gain nothing from annexing into Edmonds. 28 years of property taxes and zero improvements to my neighborhood. No sidewalks to maintain and inadequate street lighting. Annexing will only become a source of irritation as you listen to the bowl residents complain ad naseum about how your property taxes need to fund more improvements in the bowl. Stay in unincorporated bliss Esperance. You don’t need them, they need you.
As an Esperance homeowner, I have zero interest in annexation by Edmonds at this time. The city government does not seem, from my perspective, to be particularly competent. This is a problem endemic to communities of this size struggling to cope with increased complexity using an outdated model of amateur management. The existence of another group of equally unqualified amateurs who push an anti-tax agenda is another detriment to effective government. I do believe the hiring of a permanent city administrator position is a positive sign that will hopefully lead to a higher level of professionalism.
I currently see no advantages to annexation. My property taxes would increase without gaining any of the benefits that seem to accrue only to neighborhoods within the central core. Drive down 84th and without the tiny signs there is no observable difference between the county and city boundaries. Also, I have no interest in paying higher taxes while those currently residing in Edmonds refuse to the same.
One final thing: I’d be interested in being a part of the Esperance Neighborhood Alliance group. But I won’t use Facebook. Is there another communication channel available?
Rob, the property tax increase is often citied without actual numbers to understand the change. Here is an analysis I saw shared in the FB group. (not my own work):
Home Value: $800,000
Unincorporated Sno. County Effective Tax:
800,000 @ 7.97 = $6376
Edmonds Effective Tax:
800,000@ 7.10 = $5680
Difference: $696.
Water: 30 cubic feet
Olympic Water Winter rate:
0-40cf @ $2.88 and 40-100 $4.22
Olympic Water Summer Rate:
0-40cf @ $3.23 and 40-100 $5.06
Edmonds year around rate:
0-100cf @ $5.47
Esperance water bill for 30cf:
$55.56 flat rate + 86.40 usage rate = $142
Edmonds water bill for 30cf
52.37 flat rate + 164.10 usage rate = $216.47
Esperance Sewer flat fee: $91.05
Edmonds Sewer flat fee: $129.56
Totals:
Esperance: $6128 Taxes + Water bill (6mo.) $852 + Sewer (6.mo) $568.50 = $7796.50
Edmonds: $5680 Taxes + Water bill (6mo.) $1298+ Sewer (6.mo) $777.36 = $7756.18
Change after annexation: -$40.32
Hi Lean,
Interesting numbers. I would have to see the sources for the tax rates, as I find it difficult to believe that the county tax rate is higher than the city. If you can ask around to get where the exact figures can be found I’d appreciate it, as I could not get to data that supported them.
Mr Soto, I hate to burst your balloon but if you think taxation without representation is a County thing and Edmonds is better you are SO wrong. And a representative with no power and a council and mayor that not only do not listen they do not act either. The mayor is a PR man and that’s it. Do
not expect anything else, if and when you think you can talk to him. Have you noticed the new util bill, the basic bare bones has just been “bumped up” with an extra charge till July 2027 so the bare bones cost for 2 months is 311.40 for water, sewer & storm water. Then if you use it of course more $ and don’t forget there will be the regular annual increase in Jan of 2027 so that 311.40 base is just 2026. Look at your storm water bill on your RE taxes for a wake-up call it’s around 140.00 a year ours (just storm water) to Edmonds is around 356.00 (+ bi-monthly surcharge on Olym View bill) a yr and THATS from 2024 we won’t get billed till feb for 2nd half of 2025 so I don’t know yet what “our” bill is but it always goes up, they never miss an
increase of anything. Sorry but your idea of Edmonds is an illusion.
Jean, again whatever minor representation in Edmonds would be an infinite improvement over no representation which is the status quo. Esperance doesn’t get anything from the property tax paid to the county. Like literally nothing. Everything goes to the county and somewhere else probably hundreds of miles from esperance. At least if it stayed with Edmonds, whatever improvement there’s a chance I may live close enough to benefit. And you speak of government disfunction and tax increases? My taxes were 3k in 2019 and now they are double. Did I vote on that like Edmonds did? nope. We don’t get asked, and even if we did it doesn’t matter because the rest of the county drowns any voices . Accountability? ha! if you’re upset about Edmonds spending take a look at Snohomish county. A multi tentacle monster designed to dodge accountability because it is not a city and doesn’t operate like one. I’m sure you understand Edmonds doesn’t have enough people to influence Washington politics right? well esperance doesn’t have enough people to make Snohomish do anything nor is it part of a local government to handle local issues.
Lean, we didn’t have any vote on the taxes, we voted AGAINST a levy lift that was astronomical and without merit. We didn’t get a vote on the rezoning either or on some other things that have an affect on us. I hope everyone in Esperance doesn’t have your illusions of Edmonds and they will if and when a possible annexation vote comes up take multi things into account and consider if any options, because once done there’s no changing your mind and reversing it. Being able to talk to the mayor does nothing but give you someone to talk to, if you like one way conversations. Some people just have to learn the hard way, suit yourself, just remember education can be VERY expensive. I have nothing to add I just wanted to remind Esperance, annexation to Edmonds now, is not necessarily a good thing for some people, and to take everything into account. I’m done.
The tax numbers are accurate. I have been doing that chart the past 7 years. The county has been higher since I started collecting that data. I do utilities etc. I currently live in Esperance. If you join the FB group all sources are noted. We have zero police presence in Esperance and no traffic control. It is not sustainable.
So many questions… What will the status of Esperance citizen become? Will we become neglected Step Children, bearing the burden without added benefit? What is to ensure that Esperance will not be up zoned as a convenient path for the City to fulfill it’s State mandate for increased density? And, will Esperance become yet another financial burden for Edmonds?
The people who are worried about growth, you do realize the county was already doing that. That is what the ordinance was that we got an exclusion on, that we have been working hard to be on. Unlimited height all throughout Esperance. No limit on stories for apartments. The Esperance of yesterday is already gone. It was either unlimited height or managed growth with Edmonds. Nobody is saying it is perfect.