Chapter 12.12
DRAINAGE UTILITY FEES AND FUND

Sections:

12.12.010    Revenue fund created.

12.12.020    Drainage rates and charges.

12.12.030    Repealed.

12.12.040    Connection fees, charges and costs.

12.12.050    Permit required.

12.12.060    Repealed.

12.12.070    Drainage fees and charges for property outside of the city.

12.12.080    Development fees.

12.12.090    Construction fund created.

12.12.010 Revenue fund created.

There is created a special fund of the city to be known as the “drainage fund.” Any and all charges, assessments, and revenues received for drainage purposes, or from any rental, use, services or sale of property attributable to the operation and management of such utility, shall be credited to and paid into such fund. (Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 563 § 1, 1981).

12.12.020 Drainage rates and charges.

For the furnishing of the service to the users and potential users of the city drainage system, the rates and charges per month are established for the classifications indicated below:

(1) Definitions.

(a) “Multiple business building” means one structure with multiple business units.

(b) “Customer” means the legal property owner at time of billing.

(c) “Accounts” means customer.

(d) “Low-income household” means a household in which the total annual income is below the very low-income level for the Seattle/Everett area as established and amended by survey from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(e) “Senior citizen” means a person of 62 years of age or older.

(f) “Disabled person” means a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, learning, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, etc.

(2) Rates and charges effective July 1, 2006:

 

Classification

Monthly Rate

(a)

Residential Uses:

 

(i)

Single-family residences including a lot or lots up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area

$8.10

(ii)

Multifamily residences including land up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area per unit

$4.05

(b)

Commercial Uses:

 

(i)

For each single- or two-unit business building, including land up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area

$12.15

(ii)

For each multi-business building, in excess of two units, including land up to 10,000 sq. ft., per unit

$4.05

(c)

Land areas not provided for in subsections (2)(a) or (b) of this section shall be charged as follows:

 

(i)

Improved Land:

 

 

For each 20,000 sq. ft. or part thereof of land improved with hard-surfaced parking lots, or other facilities or structures

$8.10

(3) Rates and charges effective January 1, 2007:

 

Classification

Monthly Rate

(a)

Residential Uses:

 

(i)

Single-family residences including a lot or lots up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area

$10.45

(ii)

Multifamily residences including land up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area per unit

$5.20

(b)

Commercial Uses:

 

(i)

For each single- or two-unit business building, including land up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area

$15.65

(ii)

For each multi-business building, in excess of two units, including land up to 10,000 sq. ft., per unit

$5.20

(c)

Land areas not provided for in subsections (3)(a) or (b) of this section shall be charged as follows:

 

(i)

Improved Land:

 

 

For each 20,000 sq. ft. or part thereof of land improved with hard-surfaced parking lots, or other facilities or structures

$10.45

(4) Rates and charges effective January 1, 2008:

 

Classification

Monthly Rate

(a)

Residential Uses:

 

(i)

Single-family residences including a lot or lots up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area

$12.25

(ii)

Multifamily residences including land up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area per unit

$6.10

(b)

Commercial Uses:

 

(i)

For each single- or two-unit business building, including land up to 10,000 sq. ft. in area

$18.30

(ii)

For each multi-business building, in excess of two units, including land up to 10,000 sq. ft., per unit

$6.10

(c)

Land areas not provided for in subsections (4)(a) or (b) of this section shall be charged as follows:

 

(i)

Improved Land:

 

 

For each 20,000 sq. ft. or part thereof of land improved with hard-surfaced parking lots, or other facilities or structures

$12.25

(5) Low-Income Senior Citizen and Low-Income Disabled Rates.

(a) Low-income senior citizens or low-income disabled persons who are customers of the utility shall be eligible to apply for drainage service at 70 percent of the monthly charge.

(b) Low-income households in which the principal financial resources are provided by a senior citizen or a disabled person, as defined in this chapter, may apply for these reduced rates. The city may require a customer who is receiving service at a reduced rate to provide information annually to confirm their continued eligibility for the reduced rate.

(c) The reduced rate provided by this section shall apply only to single-family residential services. (Ord. 1235 § 2, 2008; Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 830 § 1, 1991; Ord. 807 § 1, 1990; Ord. 758 § 1, 1988; Ord. 672 § 1, 1985; Ord. 606 § 1, 1982; Ord. 578 § 1, 1981; Ord. 563 § 2, 1981).

12.12.030 Drainage of water other than precipitation.

Repealed by Ord. 1189. (Ord. 563 § 3, 1981).

12.12.040 Connection fees, charges and costs.

(1) Applications for connection to the city storm sewer system shall be made to the city finance director who will collect fees and forward the application to the public works department for approval of the design and inspection of the proposed connection.

(2) A permit fee to cover the cost of administration, in the amount of $50.00, shall be charged for each application for city storm sewer service. Such fee shall be paid into the city general fund.

(3) A connection charge of $200.00 shall be charged for each separate residence, multiple housing unit, or business building proposed to be served by a storm sewer. Such fee shall be paid into the drainage construction fund.

(4) Construction Costs and Fees.

(a) The cost of construction of storm sewer lines from the public storm sewer shall in all cases be borne by such persons connecting thereto.

(b) Cost of construction of storm sewer mains by developers and others except in the case of an LID or ULID shall be directly borne by the party extending the storm sewer main.

(c) Cost of upgrading the drainage facilities, storm sewer trunk lines, or pumping facility or the cost of a consulting engineer shall be considered part of the cost of the storm sewer extension and such costs as determined by the public works director or consulting engineer shall be remitted to the city finance director or the work completed and accepted by the city prior to issuance of any connection.

(d) The city may at its option construct storm sewer mains to serve an area. Any property connecting to a storm sewer main constructed by the city shall be subject to the fees and charges under this section plus a pro rata share of the construction costs of the extension based on 50 percent square footage of the area served and 50 percent front footage of properties to be served unless 75 percent of the own-

 

ers of property in the area to be served agree on another method of apportionment which shall be subject to the approval of the city.

(e) Any property connected to a storm sewer main or open ditch constructed under an LID or ULID shall be subject to a construction fee based upon the same square footage and front footage assessments made on the property within the LID. (Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 695 § 11, 1986; Ord. 653 § 1, 1985; Ord. 563 § 4, 1981).

12.12.050 Permit required.

(1) It is unlawful for any person to make any connection with any public or private storm sewer without provisions of this chapter in relation thereto, unless a permit to do so from the public works director has been issued and is in force.

(2) Application for such permit shall be filed with the public works director stating the name of the owner, the correct address and legal description of the property to be served, dimensions and locations of any buildings or hard-surfaced improvements on the property and the whole course of the private storm sewer from the public storm sewer or other outlets to its connection with the building or property to be served. The application shall be submitted to the public works director for approval, who may change or modify the same and designate the manner and place in which such sewer shall be connected with the public storm sewer, and he shall endorse his approval upon the application if the same is acceptable to him.

(3) Upon approval of the application, the public works director shall issue for his records a permit card and storm sewer plan showing the size and location of the public storm sewer, the point of connection, the location of any buildings on the lot and any other such information as may be available and required.

(4) Upon approval of the application and issuance of the permit, it is unlawful to alter or to do any other work than is provided for in the permit.

(5) The public works director shall prepare and keep on file in his office all records of storm sewer connections showing the information obtained in the course of inspection of completed work done under the permit.

(6) The public works director may issue such a permit to the owner or occupant of any property to construct, extend, relay, repair or make connection to any public or private storm sewer or drainage channel, provided such owner or occupant complies with the applicable provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 563 § 5, 1981).

12.12.060 Lien charges.

Repealed by Ord. 1189. (Ord. 563 § 5, 1981).

12.12.070 Drainage fees and charges for property outside of the city.

When property outside of the city is served by storm sewers, drainage ditches, drainage channels or pumping facilities, charges for such drainage services, filing of liens or other fees or charges covered in this chapter shall be payable at the rate of 150 percent of the applicable charge or rate for service within the city. (Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 563 § 6, 1981).

12.12.080 Development fees.

At the time of application for a subdivision, short plat, planned unit development or binding site plan, a drainage assessment is to be submitted to the city clerk-treasurer in the amount of $400.00 plus $25.00 per lot. Such fee is to be credited to the drainage construction fund for the improvement of drainage facilities. (Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 695 § 12, 1986; Ord. 563 § 8, 1981).

12.12.090 Construction fund created.

There is created a special fund of the city to be known as the “drainage construction fund.” Any and all development fees shall be credited and paid into such fund to provide for construction and improvement of drainage facilities. (Ord. 1189 § 2, 2006; Ord. 563 § 9, 1981).