by KenThe recent results of the 2010 census are in and Lacey continues to be the second largest city in Thurston County. But it could become the largest city, if it decided to annex adjacent urban areas.
The census results show that Lacey has 42,000 people, up 11,000 in the last ten years. Olympia now has 46,000 people, up 4,000 since 2000.
What the census results don’t show, is the number of residential units within the Lacey Urban Growth Area, perhaps as many as another 40,000. Olympia’s UGA has substantially less, perhaps around 10,000.
Lacey could annex many of those residential areas at any time, but Lacey City Manager Greg Cuoio says that annexation of urban areas isn’t in the city’s interests. Cuoio says that most of those residential areas have infrastructure which isn’t up to city standards.
Take Tanglewilde and Thompson Place for example. These housing developments were in place before Lacey became an incorporated city. The last census tracts shows that nearly 5700 people live in those two developments. Lacey’s annexation of this areas would instantly make Lacey the largest city in the county.
But Cuoio points out that the streets, sidewalks and particularly the sewer systems are not up to city standards. Most of the houses in Tanglewilde and Thompson Place are on septic systems.
Cuoio said it would be to expensive for the city to annex those two areas.
So, the city is not pursuing annexation at this time.
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