Change is coming, but residents holding out

Originally published Saturday, July 17, 1999

By BILL VIRGIN and TRICIA DURYEE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS

AN EVEN BIGGER change is ahead for Skyway: incorporation. State and county officials are strongly encouraging unincorporated areas within urban growth boundaries -- particularly those like Skyway that are surrounded by towns -- to incorporate or find a city to join.

Skyway residents have already indicated they like their current status just fine, thank you. A survey sent out by the West Hill Community Council showed two-thirds responding wanted the area to stay unincorporated.

That might not be an option. In a recently completed study of West Hill's future, King County warned that it might not provide the same level of service to unincorporated areas as it does now.

Forming a city of Skyway or West Hill is impractical, the community council notes. With low property values and little business, there wouldn't be enough tax revenue to support a city. For the same reasons, other cities might not be eager to annex the area, given the cost of upgrades vs. the tax revenue received. Most survey respondents said if they had to be annexed, Renton would be their first choice.

"We'll probably do the Alamo thing and stay unincorporated for as long as we can, but one day the walls are going to fall and we hope it will be to our benefit," says Bruce Keller, manager of the A&H store in Skyway.

The trick will be to manage that annexation without losing whatever sense of identity Skyway has. Stone says the survey of residents revealed some sense of disappointment in the lack of a community feel.

The community council is trying to build that spirit through the street fair and other activities.

"It's really a community building a new identity," adds Porter. "The challenge to West Hill is to get the whole community involved in building that new identity."

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattle-pi.com.

P-I reporter Tricia Duryee can be reached at 206-448-8022 or triciaduryee@seattle-pi.com