Though there is never such a thing as a sure bet in local government and planning, the proposed annexation of 21 lots in the Ravenhill subdivision on the east side of the Plateau is close to it.

At Monday night’s Sammamish City Council study session, councilors heard that the 6.5 acre site is in good condition, is built out with high quality, valuable homes, and would require no capital improvements in the near future that would drain the city’s already tight budget.

The Ravenhill, or Marivaux, subdivision, backs on to the northern boundary of the Plateau Golf and Country Club, just off the western edge of Soaring Eagle Park. It is comprised of the 21 homes on NE 4th Place, which loops off East Main Drive.

According to City of Sammamish Senior Planner Emily Arteche, the proposed Ravenhill subdivision shares many characteristics with the Rosemont at Timberline subdivision which was annexed into the city with little complication earlier this year.

“This one is very similar, but with fewer issues,” Arteche told the council, minus absent councilmember Michele Petitti, at Monday’s meeting. “So hopefully it will all go very smoothly.”

In September, Ravenhill residents submitted a petition representing 10 percent of the assessed valuation of the site, the first step in the annexation process.

The next is a larger petition, representing 60 percent of the assessed valuation.

Baring any complications, the city will likely send the proposal to the King County Boundary Review Board in December, with the annexation being officially accepted in March or April of next year.

Though it is not likely to jeopardize the annexation of the subdivision, councilors and planning staff are interested in how best to resolve the issue of the site’s storm drainage detention pond, which lies outside the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB).

Should Ravenhill become part of Sammamish, the city would assume ownership of the detention pond too, which would technically be in King County. Maintenance would be carried out by the county, for an annual fee of around $500.

Councilor Nancy Whitten said Sammamish should look at ways to bring facilities like this, and a similar storm water facility adjacent to the Rosemont subdivision, inside the city’s jurisdiction.

“Urban facilities should be provided within the urban limits,” she said, adding that it “makes me uncomfortable” to have such facilities lying beyond city’s governance.

Whitten said with the potential for significant changes in storm water and water management technology in the near future, “we don’t want to have to go through King County for permitting,” to make improvements to facilities that the city owned.

Community Development Director Kamuron Gurol agreed with Whitten that this would be desirable, but warned that such a boundary change might be difficult.

“The county process is longer and a little less predictable, regarding UGB changes,” he said.

The Ravenhill application follows the successful annexations of the Camden Park, and Rosemont at Timberline estates, in recent months.

This trend looks set to continue – during Arteche’s presentation to the council on Monday night, she showed a map which identified large swaths of property identified as potential annexation areas.

These were largely undeveloped sections – east of 244th Avenue and north of NE 8th Street; and east of 277th Ave SE, in the far south-eastern corner of The Plateau.

The council will be asked to approve the 10 percent petition at tonight’s (Tuesday’s) council meeting.