Bellingham Municipal Code, City of Bellingham, WA

««15.16.020 - Utility Charges Imposed

15.16.040 - Exemption, Credits And Adjustments »»

City of Bellingham Municipal Code

Title 15 WATER AND SEWERS
Chapter 16 SURFACE AND STORM WATER UTILITY

15.16.030 - STORM AND SURFACE WATER SERVICE RATES

A. The monthly Surface and Storm Water Utility Service rate shall be as follows:

1. Small footprint residential parcel: $3 per month; $3.30 per month effective on July 1, 2004; $3.60 per month effective on July 1, 2005; $3.90 per month effective on July 1, 2006; $4.20 per month effective on July 1, 2007 and continuing thereafter.

2. Medium footprint residential parcel: $5 per month; $5.50 per month effective on July 1, 2004; $6 per month effective on July 1, 2005; $6.50 per month effective on July 1, 2006; $7 per month effective on July 1, 2007 and continuing thereafter.

3. Large footprint residential parcel: $0.001667 per square foot impervious surface area per month; $0.001833 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2004; $0.00200 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2005; $0.002167 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2006; $0.002333 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2007 and continuing thereafter.

4. Duplex parcel and nonresidential parcel with an impervious surface area of greater than 300 square feet and less than or equal to 1,000 square feet: $3 per month; $3.30 per month effective on July 1, 2004; $3.60 per month effective on July 1, 2005; $3.90 per month effective on July 1, 2006; $4.20 per month effective on July 1, 2007 and continuing thereafter.

5. Duplex parcel and nonresidential parcel with an impervious surface area of greater than 1,000 square feet and less than or equal to 3,000 square feet: $5 per month; $5.50 per month effective on July 1, 2004; $6 per month effective on July 1, 2005; $6.50 per month effective on July 1, 2006; $7 per month effective on July 1, 2007 and continuing thereafter.

6. Duplex parcel and nonresidential parcel with an impervious surface area of greater than 3,000 square feet: $0.001667 per square foot impervious area per month; $0.001833 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2004; $0.00200 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2005; $0.002167 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2006; $0.002333 per square foot impervious surface area per month effective on July 1, 2007 and continuing thereafter.

7. Duplex parcels and nonresidential parcels with an impervious surface area of less than or equal to 300 square feet are exempt from the storm and surface water service rate.

8. The rate charged by the City of Bellingham to the Washington State Department of Transportation for state highway right-of-way shall be 30% of the rate for comparable real property in terms of impervious surface coverage, or as otherwise provided by RCW 90.03.525, as now enacted or hereafter amended.

9. The rate charged to the City of Bellingham's Public Works Street Operations, Road and Street General Services Fund (user account code 111-5261113-5199) for city right-of-way shall be 30% of the rate for comparable real property in terms of impervious surface coverage.

B. System Development Charge. There shall be a system development charge on each parcel of property that is developed or redeveloped within the City of Bellingham. These charges shall be:

1. $678 for a single family residence.

2. For other than a single family house, the fee shall be calculated at the rate of $0.226 per square foot of impervious surface.

3. Where development meets all of the following minimum thresholds for designation as a Low Impact Development ("LID") a credit of 50% of the usual stormwater system development charge shall be provided:

Minimum Thresholds for Low Impact Development Credit
(Table 1)

	Critical Basin	Urban Residential	Commercial	Access Roads
Vegetated Open Space	65%	35%	10%	N/A
Maximum Effective Impervious Surface Area	10%	Per Table 2 Below	70%	N/A
Flow Control	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage Volume	0%	20%	50%	50%
Treatment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Soils	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Maximum Percent Impervious Surface Area Based on Residential Density
(Table 2)

Dwelling Units / Gross Acre	Maximum % Impervious	Dwelling Units / Gross Acre	Maximum % Impervious
1.0	10%	5.0	32.5%
2.0	15%	6.0	35%
3.0	20%	7.0	40%
4.0	30%	10.0+	60%

a. Vegetated open space in Table 1 may include, by way of example, native, undisturbed areas or rehabilitation of previously disturbed areas and may integrate passive recreation facilities. Passive recreation facilities shall mean non-intrusive land uses such as, by way of example, open areas, green belts, aesthetic buffers, and contemplative areas. However, trails for walking, hiking, biking, etc. and active recreation areas shall not count towards vegetated open space total. Active recreation areas shall include intrusive land uses, such as,by way of example, ball fields, athletic sites, playgrounds, pools, skate parks, golf areas, mountain biking, etc.

b. Impervious surface area is defined in BMC 15.42.020.

c. LID projects for purposes of credit shall meet the minimum peak and duration flow control standards per the Department of Ecology Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington (DOE Stormwater Management Manual), current edition.

d. The percentage of storage volume in Table 1 represents the maximum percentage of the total site stormwater storage volume that can be contained in conventional detention facilities with an average design water depth greater than 6 inches for the 2-year storm event and a draw-down period greater than 24 hours.

e. Treatment (Table 1) Best Management Practices (BMP's) shall be provided to treat 91% of the annual runoff volume per the standards found in the DOE Stormwater Management Manual, current edition.

f. All site soils disturbed during construction shall be rehabilitated according to the standards in BMC 20.12.030, as currently adopted or hereafter amended.

g. Access roads shall incorporate ecology embankment or bio-retention facilities along a minimum of 75% of the total road length. An access road is defined as an impervious surfaced private roadway utilized to provide vehicular access to a parcel or parcels of property. The definition of impervious surface is found in BMC 15.42.020.

h. All projects shall provide a maintenance plan/program including source control BMP's.

This charge shall be imposed upon all parcels to be developed or redeveloped and upon additions, alterations and remodels which add 3,000 square feet or more of impervious surface. The charge shall be paid prior to the issuance of building permits or obtaining other city approvals.

C. The City Council reserves the right to supplement or alter charges from time to time to ensure the long term viability of the surface and storm water utility and to guarantee debt covenants are met. The charges are, and shall be, equitable, fair, and uniform.

[Ord. 2006-05-047; Ord. 2005-06-051; Ord. 2003-10-067; Ord. 2003-01-005; Ord. 2001-02-007; Ord. 10056 �1(part), 1990.]