The community of Maple Ridge Highlands is much closer to becoming part of the city of Maple Valley.

The long winding road of annexation appears to be coming to a close for the subdivision, which is currently part of unincorporated King County. The development is located southeast of the Kent-Kangley and Maple Valley-Black Diamond Highway and east of S.E 276th Street.

The City Council took testimony during a public hearing Monday at the council meeting.

Members of the homeowners association spoke in support of the annexation. The group is looking for city services not provided by the county.

Matt Hunkovic, a board member, said police services are an important need for the community.

“We are paying for our police services (now),” Hunkovic said. “We are looking forward to a city police presence.”

Hunkovic said the community has had problems with crime at the parks. There are four parks in the community, but two are in an area with the most incidents.

Hunkovic said another significant community problem is “speeding. It is very unsafe.”

The one note of caution concerning the annexation was addressed by Jim Flynn, who was a City Council member for 10 years.

Flynn said he thought the annexation “is a logical thing to do,” but he noted he lives in a rural part of the city that recieves “very little services.”

Flynn said, “My concern is the city man-up to provide service.”

Mayor Laure Iddings said, “this is very exciting. It has been a lengthy process.”

Ty Peterson, Communnity Development Director, said the next step in the process is to have the resolution accepting the annextion petition sent to the King County Boundary Review board.