Gig Harbor seeks more influence over development just outside city borders
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- Pierce County and Gig Harbor have been discussing possible interlocal agreement.
- Agreement could apply city zoning and regulations to new development near the city.
- Work on the agreement is expected through early 2027.
Like other small towns grappling with population growth, the city of Gig Harbor has seen a fair share of questions about whether the city has the housing, infrastructure and road capacity to accommodate newcomers — including those who live just outside city borders.
Now, the city is considering a way to increase its power to regulate new development technically on the county’s side of the line.
Called an “Interlocal Agreement,” or ILA, the document — if it comes to fruition — would lay out the terms of enabling the city to apply its own zoning and development standards to areas slated for future annexation. That includes a significant chunk of Gig Harbor North, which has seen significant growth in recent years.
County and city officials confirmed that they’ve been having early discussions about a potential interlocal agreement. Pierce County Council member Robyn Denson sponsored a resolution that directs county staff to begin working with city staff on such an agreement, which passed in the county’s Community Development & Environment Committee during a public hearing March 2. The county council will hold another public hearing March 10, when they’ll take final action on the resolution.
Gig Harbor Community Development Director Eric Baker explained that the Interlocal Agreement would have two purposes: discussing when and how annexation may occur in the next 20 years, and covering the interim regulations governing infrastructure and development standards in those areas before then.
“So it’s two-fold,” he said. “It’s the ‘when are we going to annex,’ and then ‘what’s going to happen between now and that time.’”
A presentation at the Pierce County Council committee meeting March 2 indicated that the city and county had initial discussions about the agreement in fall 2025. Upon approval of the resolution, the county expects to work with the city to create the agreement throughout 2026 and refine it further in early 2027.
Agreement would address new growth outside city borders
Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber mentioned the ILA at a council meeting in October, explaining that she and the city council had directed staff to work on the agreement to address growth in unincorporated Pierce County near the city. Barber called out two developments in particular, saying that people have mistakenly attributed apartments planned near Canterwood and a plat just north of North Creek on Burnham to the city’s oversight. Those areas are in unincorporated Pierce County, not Gig Harbor, where the city doesn’t have control, she said.
“Through this agreement we plan to implement the city’s zoning codes on the property in the Urban Growth Area,” she said at the meeting. “This means these property owners will need to abide by our city code for design and more. It also creates a way for the city to collect impact fees from these developments, the same developments that support our infrastructure and our residents.”
Two or more local governments can set up an interlocal agreement to work together on a project or service, per state law. That could mean collaborating on the same facility, sharing personnel or resources or collaborating on some other task, as explained by the Municipal Research and Services Center.
The city of Poulsbo has had an Interlocal Agreement in place since 2002 with Kitsap County, creating a special zoning designation for Poulsbo’s potential annexation areas that ensures construction there aligns with city zoning designations and development standards. The agreement has been in place since 2002, according to a city council meeting packet in 2022. Gig Harbor Community Development Director Baker, who previously worked for Kitsap County, said the agreement “was very successful” during his time there.
How could a potential interlocal agreement affect development around Gig Harbor?
In Gig Harbor, Baker said that any interim measures outlined in a future interlocal agreement would largely apply only to new development, not existing development. There are several projects in progress just outside city borders, including a new apartment complex called the Trailside Apartments at 5730 Baker Way NW.
Last month, the developer appealed the county’s decision to require several improvements to Canterwood Boulevard Northwest, including a new travel lane, bike lane and sidewalks. The Canterwood Homeowners Association advocated for those improvements in a letter to the county, saying the improvements are warranted “at a bare minimum” to address the “additional strain” placed on Canterwood Drive Northwest, north of St. Anthony Hospital. The county’s permit portal doesn’t yet indicate the county’s response.
Is the city planning to annex any land in the immediate future?
The interlocal agreement, which is anticipated to take at least a year to finalize, doesn’t mean annexations are in the city’s near future, officials told The News Tribune. State law doesn’t contain specific timelines for cities to take on the land they’ve designated for annexation, according to the presentation at the county’s committee meeting March 2.
Baker said he doesn’t expect Gig Harbor to annex land in the immediate future, though there are smaller pieces that it might make sense for the city to annex sooner than others.
In any future annexations, the city is very interested in having “a robust public conversation,” and a future interlocal agreement could outline what that public outreach will look like, he said.
So far, the Gig Harbor mayor and city administrator have directed city staff to work with the county on the interlocal agreement. The Gig Harbor City Council “would have to say yes to an end result,” he said.
Pierce County Council member Robyn Denson, emphasized “that the city will be in the driver’s seat in regards to annexation.”
“We’re not pushing any particular areas,” she said. “We’re not saying any particular timeline. This resolution just opens the door for the city when it is ready.”
During her time serving on the Gig Harbor City Council, she said, she and other council members saw the value of having similar rules for things like signs in areas slated for eventual annexation into the city.
The interlocal agreement “could go for signs,” she said. “It could go for what we require of developers in regards to sidewalks or street improvements. When the city takes over these areas eventually, if it does, it would be nice to have it consistent.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
