The King County Annexation Initiative is an effort to promote annexation or incorporation of the largest remaining urban unincorporated areas. These ten areas are also referred to as potential annexation areas or PAAs (see map below). To support annexation or incorporation of the PAAs, the Annexation Initiative provides information to communities on their governance options and financial incentives to cities that annex or incorporate.
Learn more about the ten largest PAAs and the status and impact of annexation and incorporation. Click on any of the areas outlined in the map or enter your address to be redirected to the appropriate PAA page.
Goals of the annexation initiative
- Preserve the quality of local services to urban communities by transferring governance responsibility to cities, which have more revenue options available for funding urban local services than does the county
- Preserve the quality of county regional and rural local services by providing financial relief to these budgets dependent on general county tax revenues
- Ensure the smooth transition of services from the county to the cities for citizens as well as county employees and departments
--- King County Council Motion No. 12018, September 2004
Related agencies
- Boundary Review Board
The Boundary Review Board reviews proposals for boundary changes by cities, fire districts, and water/sewer districts within King County. - Department of Development and Environmental Services
DDES tracks and develops maps showing the boundaries for proposed, pending and recent annexations and incorporations.