Governance

Assessments

District assessment rates are set by the board of directors in December of each year. The assessment roll, which is a list of all parcels within the District boundaries, is kept and maintained by District staff. Irrigation Assessments are included on each parcel’s annual property tax statement from the Yakima County Treasurer’s Office.

For Title Companies: please contact the Yakima County Treasurer’s Office for any current assessments due.

Subdivisions and Plats Fee Schedule

Reviewing Plats and Short Plats

Prior to the District approving any plat or boundary line adjustment, the District will review requests to ensure that there are adequate means for properties to receive irrigation water, and ensure that adequate facilities and easements exist for the proposal as well as for those down- stream water users’ who may receive water from a shared line and conform to District policies and standards.

Existing irrigation facilities must comply with District standards and easements must be in place for these facilities.

Proposed irrigation facilities must be designed and submitted to the District for review. Easements must be established for the proposed irrigation facilities.

The District does not allow storm water to be discharged into the irrigation facilities.

All assessment must be paid current prior to signing any plat.

Fee Schedule

	Fee
Short Plat	$350.00
Preliminary Plat Review	$500.00
Final Plat Review	$250.00
Plat Field Inspection	$250.00
Plat Alteration	$50.00

Permits/Canal Crossings

Selah-Moxee Irrigation District requires a permit for any type of encroachments or crossings upon all District irrigation facilities that include canals, pipelines, laterals, and drains to ensure the encroachment does not significantly impact District operations, maintenance, and the integrity of the irrigation facilities.

SMID will consider each application for encroachment based on all of the circumstances.

Easement: An easement is a non-possessory interest in real property. An easement is the right to use or control property, and/or an area above or below it, for a specific limited purpose. The recipient of a grant of easement is typically referred to as a grantee. Easements are usually, but not always, appurtenant to the land benefited rather than being the personal property of an individual.

Right-of-Way: A right-of-way (ROW) is the right to pass through property owned by another. A right-of-way may be held as fee title or may be in the nature of an easement. The majority, but not all, of SMID ROW’s are held as fee title.

Encroachment: An interference with or intrusion into another’s property. Anything or conduct that creates an interference with an easement or right-of-way is considered an encroachment. Encroachments can be described as a structure or thing that creates an interference of any degree with the use, maintenance, or operation of an SMID facility.

Interference: The act or process of interfering, something that interferes, obstruction, to interpose in a manner that hinders or impedes the reasonably convenient use of an easement or right-of-way.

Examples of Encroachments that must be approved through the permitting process:

Moveable, non-permanent structures (small sheds, vehicle parking)
Retaining walls
Fencing

Examples of Canal Crossings that must be approved through the permitting process:

Underground utility crossings (power, gas, communications, sewer, water, etc.)
Overhead utility crossings (power, communications, etc.)
Bridges and Culverts
Irrigation lines

The cost associated with obtaining a permit is $2,500.00. To inquire about getting a permit, contact the SMID office and staff will assist you.

SMID By-Laws

View SMID By-Laws

Board Elections

Information about Elections of the District: Pursuant to RCW 87.03 .051, RCW 87.03.075, and RCW 87.03.080.

What qualifications are required to vote in the District’s elections?

To vote in elections of the District, either as a candidate or elector, a person must be eighteen years old; a citizen of the United States; a resident of the state; and hold title or evidence of title to assessable land in the district. A Corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington owning land in the district shall be recognized as an elector.

When are elections held?

An election of open director positions is held on the second Tuesday of December each year. However, if after the expiration of the date for filing petitions of nomination only one qualified candidate has been nominated for the position to be filled, it will not be necessary to hold an election and the board of directors, at their next meeting, will declare the candidate elected as director.

How do I declare my candidacy to run for a director position?

Qualified candidates wanting to run in an election must submit a declaration in writing of their candidacy, or a petition of nomination signed by at least ten (10) qualified electors of the district, which must be filed with the Secretary of the District by 5:00 p.m. on the first Monday in November.

Board Meetings

Regular monthly Board of Directors Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the SMID District office at 8:00 a.m. Special meetings may be called for as circumstances dictate.

SMID District Office
113 East Moxee Avenue
Moxee, WA 98936

Meeting Agendas will be posted as they become available. Meeting minutes are not available for the public until after approved during the following month’s board meeting. Requests for approved meeting minutes can be made via the Public Records Request form.

2023 – 2024 Board Meeting Schedule

January 4, 2023
February 8, 2023
March 8, 2023
April 12, 2023
May 10, 2023
June 14, 2023
July 12, 2023
August 9, 2023
September 12, 2023 Meeting Change Notice
October 11, 2023
November 8, 2023
December 13, 2023 Notice of Meeting of Board of Equalization
January 3, 2024
February 14, 2024
March 13, 2024
April 10, 2024
May 8, 2024
June 12, 2024
July 10, 2024
August 14, 2024
September 11, 2024
October 9, 2024
November 13, 2024
December 11, 2024