Annexation

ANNEXATION FAQs

How do I annex my property to the City of Milwaukie?

What are the different types of owner-initiated annexation applications?

What else should I know about annexing to the City of Milwaukie?

Who should I contact if I have more questions?

Annexation Application & Instructions

How do I annex my property to the City of Milwaukie?

If you are a property owner, you can initiate the annexation process at any time or you can participate in the City's Annexation Assistance Program.

Instructions and forms for initiating your own annexation petition or participating in the City’s Annexation Assistance Program are available online and at the City’s Planning Department.

The table below summarizes the differences between owner-initiated annexation and City-assisted annexation.

ANNEXATION APPLICATION PROCESS	Owner-Initiated Annexation (available any time)	City-Assisted Annexation (May 2010 - Nov 2012)
Preapplication Conference	Required	Not Required
Preapplication Conference Fee	Per Fee Schedule	No Fee
Annexation Application	Property Owner Provides	Property Owner Provides
Annexation Application Fee	Per Fee Schedule	No Fee
Annexation Petition	Property Owner Provides	Property Owner Provides
Property Legal Description	Property Owner Provides	City Provides
County Certification Documents	Property Owner Provides	City Provides
Urban Service Districts List	Property Owner Provides	City Provides
Application Processing Schedule	Property Owner may apply at any time. City will process immediately.	Property Owner may apply at any time. City may defer processing by up to one year.

City Fees – As shown in the table above, a preapplication conference fee and an annexation application fee are required. The exact amount of the annexation application fee depends upon the type of annexation proposed. See the City's fee schedule for exact costs.
Out-of-pocket Expenses – Variable application-related expenses for things like copying, legal description preparation, and tax map purchases.

City-assisted annexations:

City Fees – None required.
Out-of-pocket Expenses – Very few, if any, application-related expenses.

There are two types of owner-initiated annexation applications in the City of Milwaukie:
• Expedited
• Nonexpedited

Expedited applications generally take less time to prepare and process than nonexpedited annexations. However, the expedited process can only be used when 100% of the property owners and at least 50% of the registered voters who live at the property agree to annex by signing the annexation petition. The expedited process does not allow property owners to request a different zoning designation from the one that the City would automatically apply to the property based on the property’s zoning in the County.

Nonexpedited applications allow for annexations when 100% of the property owners and at least 50% of the registered voters do not agree to annex. Nonexpedited annexations also allow property owners to request a different zoning designation from the one that the City would automatically apply to the property based on the property’s zoning in the County.

Annexation is required prior to receiving City services, such as sewer or water service.
The annexation process can take several months, so it is important to plan ahead.
Building permits, including applications for sewer connection, may be submitted for review to the City but cannon be issued until the annexation process is complete.
All annexation applications must requrest a specific City zoning designation to be applied to the property proposed for annexation. Property owners may request that their property be zoned a similar or different zone than the one currently applied by the County. To be eligible for the City's Annexation Assistance Program, property owners must request a similar zone. If a different zone is requested, the annexation application must be owner-initiate because more analysis is required.
Uses or structures that were not legally established in the County do not become legal upon annexation to the City. Having such a use or structure will not prevent you from annexing. However, if the City becomes aware that you have an illegal structure or are operating an illegal use, the City will likely require you to stop such uses and either remove or obtain permits for structures that were not legally permitted.

Your address will not change.
The United States Postal Service does not change your zip (or the city or county name associated with your zip code) as a result of annexation.
Your property will be incorporated into the City and assigned a City zoning designation.
Some of the tax rates on your annual property tax statement will change.
Some of your services will change. However, you should not experience any interruption in service either before, during, or after annexation.
Some services, such as police and code enforecment, will be provided by the City. Other services will continue to be preovided by the same service districts (e.g. Clackamas County Fire District No. 1, North Clackamas School District, etc.) and private companies (e.g. Comcast, PGE, Qwest, etc.) that are currently serving your property.
The City will notify all existing service providers of your property's annexation into the City.
Some of the uses or structures on your property may not conform to the City's zoning code. This is okay and not unusal. Having a nonconforming use or structure will not prevent you from annexing or continuing to use your property.
For example, structures on your property may be larger or closer to your property line than what the City's code allows. Uses and structures that were legal when established but that do not conform to the City's current zoning code are considered nonconforming. Nonconforming uses are allowed to continue and nonconforming structures are allowed to be maintained in reasonable repair. However, neither is allowed to expand or be significantly altered without City review and approval.
Future develoment on your property, such as a home remodel or new driveway, will be subject to the City's permitting requirements and zoning code.
For example, a home remodel or new deck may require a building permit and new driveway may requre an erosion control and/or right-of-way permit. Please check with the City before making these kinds of changes on your property.

back to top

Who should I contact if I have more questions?
Contact the Planning Department at 503-786-7630 or planning@ci.milwaukie.or.us. You can also speak to a planner in person at our offices at 6101 SE Johnson Creek Blvd.

Annexation Assistance Program

Currently, the City has an Annexation Assistance Program available from May 2010 through November 2012. Please see the Annexation Assistance Program page for further information.