(1) A public hospital district may annex territory outside the existing boundaries of such district and contiguous thereto, whether the territory lies in one or more counties, in accordance with this section.
(2) A petition for annexation of territory contiguous to a public hospital district may be filed with the commission of the district to which annexation is proposed. The petition must be signed by the owners, as prescribed by *RCW
35A.01.040(9) (a) through (e), of not less than sixty percent of the area of land within the territory proposed to be annexed. Such petition shall describe the boundaries of the territory proposed to be annexed and shall be accompanied by a map which outlines the boundaries of such territory.
(3) Whenever such a petition for annexation is filed with the commission of a public hospital district, the commission may entertain the same, fix a date for public hearing thereon, and cause notice of the hearing to be published once a week for at least two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the territory proposed to be annexed. The notice shall also be posted in three public places within the territory proposed to be annexed, shall contain a description of the boundaries of such territory, and shall specify the time and place of hearing and invite interested persons to appear and voice approval or disapproval of the annexation.
(4) Following the hearing, if the commission of the district determines to accomplish the annexation, it shall do so by resolution. The resolution may annex all or any portion of the proposed territory but may not include in the annexation any property not described in the petition. Upon passage of the annexation resolution, the territory annexed shall become part of the district and a certified copy of such resolution shall be filed with the legislative authority of the county or counties in which the annexed property is located.
(5) If the petition for annexation and the annexation resolution so provide, as the commission may require, and such petition has been signed by the owners of all the land within the boundaries of the territory being annexed, the annexed property shall assume and be assessed and taxed to pay for all or any portion of the outstanding indebtedness of the district to which it is annexed at the same rates as other property within such district. Unless so provided in the petition and resolution, property within the boundaries of the territory annexed shall not be assessed or taxed to pay for all or any portion of the indebtedness of the district to which it is annexed that was contracted prior to or which existed at the date of annexation. In no event shall any such annexed property be released from any assessments or taxes previously levied against it or from its existing liability for the payment of outstanding bonds or warrants issued prior to such annexation.
(6) The annexation procedure provided for in this section shall be an alternative method of annexation applicable only if at the time the annexation petition is filed either there are no registered voters residing in the territory proposed to be annexed or the petition is also signed by all of the registered voters residing in the territory proposed to be annexed.
