Community Updates
Municipal Code Abatement:
City Staff have limited authority and no police powers related to municipal code violations. The City relies on the County Sheriff Department for serious items beyond the local limits of the City’s Municipal Code and should be contacted to report illegal or suspicious activity. The current abatement process is designed to encourage compliance through fines and possible utility disconnections; which both have their limitations.
Items constituting a public nuisance can be found in title 7 of the City’s municipal code. Before reporting an issue to the City, it is recommended to at least reach out to your neighbor to see if the issue can be resolved without involving the City.
In summary, abatements are handled as follows when a complaint is filed with the City:
Offending party and/or property owner are contacted by email or letter specifying the issue with a recommended way to abate the condition. This is referred to as the “nice” letter and give the person five business days to respond.
In the event the matter is not resolved to the City’s satisfaction within the five days, a formal abatement notice is issued along with a $100 fine that cannot be waived, suspended or deferred. This second notice grants an additional five days to comply. If this order is not abated to the satisfaction of the City, then the City can either disconnect the utilities or do the abatement work themselves and bill the property owner for the work.
Both notices are subject to post office lead times and typically adds a couple extra days to the process.
There are limitations to the abatement process and all abatement notices are subject to written appeal which can add several weeks or months to the overall process
While it may look like the City is not doing anything or is not working fast enough, the City has a process that has to be followed and most of the work occurs in the background, depending on the severity and complexity of the condition, it typically takes extra time and effort by the City to resolve the complaint. It gets even more complicated when it is a rental property issue as those are governed differently by state law than local codes.
In the end, if the property owner is not willing to comply, the City has very limited enforcement options with its last step being the disconnection of utilities; which may or may not get the result the City is requesting.
Please reach out to City Staff with any questions regarding abatement actions.
Checkout last edition of the Walla Walla Visitors guide covering Waitsburg here.
New Utility Rates as of January 1, 2025
Effective January 1st, 2025, new utility rates are in affect for all utility users. A 2.5% rate increase went into affect at the first of the year for January billing. Please contact City Hall Staff should you have any questions regarding the increases.
PocketiNet is now offering new highspeed Internet
Click the link to see the specials available in Waitsburg area: PocketiNet Specials
How to contact City Hall Staff
City Hall Staff do not have voicemail. If you need assistance and call City Hall and don’t get a response, please call back or for faster response, email City staff at administrator@cityofwaitsburg.com or adminassistant@cityofwaitsburg.com. If it is water or sewer related and after hours (8am - 4pm, Monday - Friday, noon on Saturday), call Columbia County Dispatch at 509 382-2518 who will get a hold of Public Works Staff.
About Our Town
Set amidst bountiful rolling hills blanketed with wheat, barley and peas, Waitsburg was pioneered in the early 19th century. Lewis and Clark passed through this area in 1806 on the return from their historic expedition. Years later, along the banks of the Touchet River, the first grist mill was established to serve farmers in the area. The enterprising owner of that mill, Sylvester M. Wait, was honored as Waitsburg's namesake when the town was founded in 1865.
Stability is a key to life here. The railroad that was built in 1881 continues to run today, and the city government was organized that same year. Currently, it's the only city in the state of Washington which still operates under the terms of its Territorial Charter. In 1878, the Waitsburg Times newspaper began publication, and readers have delighted in the weekly paper ever since.
With a present population of 1,230 people, Waitsburg maintains a comfortable lifestyle in the abundant Pacific Northwest. Four distinct seasons punctuate the natural beauty of the area. Average rainfall here is 17 inches per year and in the wintertime, warm Chinook winds sustain a climate that many describe as "the Banana Belt." With a strong agricultural industry and a growing season of over 220 days, it is easy to understand why folks past and present decide to call Waitsburg home. Natural resources abound in the area, supporting clean energy initiatives and ample resources to support the community. The watershed from the Blues, which refreshed the early pioneers, provides today's residents with crystal clear spring water right to their taps.
