The Maple Valley City Council and the King County Council independently gave unanimous approval to an interlocal agreement between the county and the city allowing the city to annex the county-owned Donut Hole property on Sept. 9.

The Donut Hole is 154 acres of unincorporated land within the urban growth boundary off Kent-Kangley Road Southeast and Southeast 228th Street that is home to nine holes of Elk Run Golf Course, a stand of trees and the county’s 13-acre roads maintenance facility.

“The issue of the Donut Hole has been an ongoing issue and point of concern for the city since its incorporation,” said Steve Clark, public works director for Maple Valley, at the Sept. 9 Maple Valley City Council meeting. “It (the interlocal agreement) meets your (the council’s) goal of getting the annexation done before the end of this year.”

The interlocal agreement will allow for the transition of the Maple Valley proposed annexation area to city control and enable the continued operation of the roads maintenance facility owned by the King County Department of Transportation that is located on the property until the county is able to relocate the facility.

“This is a huge day for Maple Valley,” said Maple Valley councilman Noel Gerken at the Sept. 9 meeting. “I think it’s a minor miracle we’re here today. It’s just fantastic.”

Earlier this year Gov. Inslee signed Senate Bill 5417 into law which amended the requirements a piece of property must meet before a city can initiate the annexation process, thus allowing Maple Valley to annex the Donut Hole.

The city plans to rezone the property, which is currently zoned for residential development, as part of the 2014 comprehensive plan update. The Tahoma School District is in the process of buying 35 acres in the Donut Hole that is the proposed site of a new Tahoma High School, a project that is contingent on the district’s proposed construction bond being passed by voters in November.

“This legislation paves the way for the residents of Maple Valley to determine future plans for this property in a way that best suits their needs,” said county councilman Reagan Dunn in a statement. “I commend Mayor Bill Allison and Executive Dow Constantine for negotiating an agreement that satisfies the interests of both the city of Maple Valley and the County.”