Annexation has been an ongoing process in the the City of Vancouver, with over 160 annexation occuring since the City was incorporated in 1857, primarily through the petition method. The 1990s were a particularly active period, with the City
annexing 29 square miles in the Vancouver Mall and Cascade Park areas. The 1997 Cascade Park annexation was the largest in state history, and added almost 60,000 persons to the City. As of 2011, Vancouver’s city limits encompassed approximately 50 square miles, and the unincorporated Vancouver Urban Growth Area (VUGA) about 56 square miles. Most of the unincorporated VUGA is characterized by existing urban development, and provided with either City of Vancouver or non-municipal sewer and water services.