Walla Walla City Council to revisit controversial Cottonwood Road annexation

By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, March 25th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories

WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla City Council will meet tonight (Wednesday) to consider a controversial annexation petition for 104 acres on Cottonwood Road, a proposal that follows years of legal disputes between the city and developers.

The request, submitted by Cottonwood Investors LLC, seeks to bring the property west of Kendall Road into city limits for future residential use. A previous attempt to annex the land was rejected by the council in 2024 and 2025, leading to a lawsuit that a Walla Walla County Superior Court judge ultimately decided in the city’s favor. The court previously ruled the annexation was inconsistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.

City staff are recommending that if the council wishes to move forward, it must first adopt interim development regulations to resolve legal inconsistencies. Staff also suggested making any approval contingent on the developers dropping their ongoing appeal in the Washington State Court of Appeals.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Walla Walla City Hall.