EVERETT, Wash., January 29, 2020 – Snohomish County is currently seeking volunteers for one open position on the Boundary Review Board (BRB). BRB members are residents of the county they serve. They serve for a four-year term and are not allowed to hold other local government elected or appointed positions or jobs.
For over 50 years in Washington State, Boundary Review Boards have been instrumental in resolving disputes among property owners, citizens, developers and governmental authorities. For citizens in unincorporated areas, the BRB often serves as the avenue of recourse in the city and special purpose district annexation processes. BRBs make decisions, weighing the Growth Management Act and specific factors and objectives in state law, in order to ensure orderly growth and development of municipalities and urban services.
The residents of Snohomish County are fortunate to have a process in place that:
- Allows access to an impartial local body to mediate disputes
- Ensures orderly growth of cities and urban services
- Assists cities, towns and districts with annexations
- Provides objective analysis and fair and impartial decision-making
The BRB is a quasi-judicial, administrative body empowered to make decisions on such issues as incorporations, annexations, mergers, etc., by cities, towns and special purpose districts. It can approve, modify and approve or deny a proposal. BRB decisions are final unless appealed to the Superior Court of the County under the law.
There are no statutory requirements on membership qualifications for the BRB, although it is desirable for the individual to have knowledge of the Growth Management Act, ability to evaluate technical planning and environmental documents and economic reports as well as testimony from the public and apply state statues to decision-making. A background on a jurisdiction’s planning commission is beneficial.
The appointment is to fill the vacancy left by Charles Fritz (County appointee). Submit applications online by no later than February 28.
Please spread the word and help us to identify potential candidates for this position. For any questions about the application process, please contact Pamela Yount, Clerk of the Board, at 425-388-3445 or Pamela.Yount@snoco.org.
Author: Mario Lotmore
