Mill Creek: Incorporated Vs Unincorporated? (Seattle, Sammamish: 2014, purchase, casino)

[gchanel5]

(1) Is Mill Creek incorporated or unincorporated?
(2) What does it mean when a city is "incorporated"?
(3) Is "incorporated" good or bad?

Any info you could share will be greatly appreciated!

[Ira500]

Mill Creek is an incorporated city. That means that there is a city government providing services for it's citizens, like parks, fire, and police. When a place is unincorporated, it will have a mailing address of a nearby incorporated city, but is not part of the city, and the services will be provided by the county. It's generally better to be in an incorporated city, because county government is usually too spread thin. If you live in an unincorporated area, there is usually a local fire district, and that's usually very good, but police response can be slower, and if you need to contact an elected official, it would have to be a county council member. Their districts are also spread out, like the police, so you'll generally get more attention by living in an incorporated city. But some people like less government and less attention, so for them, an unincorporated area is good. It doesn't mean that unincorporated areas are lawless free for alls, like the Wild West. But there are some laws that only cities can pass. An unincorporated area can't keep out a casino or a medical marijuana dispensary, only a city can.
Also, many unincorporated areas become part of neighboring cities, so it may not stay unincorporated forever.

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by Ira500

It doesn't mean that unincorporated areas are lawless free for alls, like the Wild West.

Then there's White Center... but I doubt the area up by Mill Creek is quite like that.

[MaikeerinWA]

And we're seeing that in motion right now for Klahanie, where the residents will vote in early 2014 on whether to become part of Issaquah, which is of course an incorporated city. If that falls through, Klahanie could end up becoming part of the incorporated city of Sammamish.

Public hearing to examine Klahanie Potential Annexation Area | KING5.com Seattle

Originally Posted by Ira500

Also, many unincorporated areas become part of neighboring cities, so it may not stay unincorporated forever.

[BellevueNative]

Not only is Mill Creek incorporated, it was founded as a planned community. We made the decision to purchase within the city limits of MC - as opposed to one of the many new developments in nearby unincorporated Bothell (which often try to call themselves Mill Creek or Bothell) - because we wanted to qualify for the city benefits and protections that come with being in the city. One of the things we hate about unincorporated areas is the crazy zoning, and you can see that in unincorporated Bothell just to the south of Mill Creek.