Drafter
CE 5/24/2005
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to water facilities in rural areas; and amending Ordinance 11616, Section 13, as amended, and K.C.C. 13.24.138.
body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Ordinance 11616 Section 13, as amended, and K.C.C. 13.24.138 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Water facilities in rural areas.
A. Standards and plans for utility services in rural areas and the design and scale of new water facilities that serve the Urban Growth Area but must be located in the rural area shall be consistent with the needs of long-term low-density residential development and resource industries in the rural area.
B. Consistent with RCW 90.54.020, 70.116, and 70.119A, existing Group A and Group B water systems with approved water system plans are the preferred means of water service within the Rural Area. New development in the rural area ((may)) must be served by ((individual private wells,)) Group A water systems ((or)), Group B water systems ((as follows)) or individual private wells in the following priority order:
1. By a Group A water system through direct service, ((I))if the proposed development is in an approved service area that has been assigned to a Group A water system through a King County-approved coordinated water system plan or is within the approved service area in ((an)) the individual water system plan of a Group A water system that has been reviewed by the county and approved by the state((, the proposed development shall be served by that Group A water system through direct service, if)) and direct service can be provided by that system in a timely and reasonable manner;
2. By a new public water system owned and operated a Group A water system or by a satellite management agency as provided in RCW 70.119A.060, until direct service can be provided by a Group A water system, ((I))if:
a. the proposed development is within the approved service area of a Group A water system, as described in subsection B.1. of this section, and direct service cannot be provided by that system in a timely and reasonable manner; or
b. the proposed development is ((included)) in ((an)) the service area ((currently served by)) of a water system that the county has determined has known quality or quantity problems that threaten public health((, or if direct service cannot be provided in a timely and reasonable manner, then the county may authorize the creation of a new public water system only if the new system is owned and operated either by the existing system or by a satellite management agency as provided in RCW 70.119A.060 until direct service can be provided)); ((or))
3. By an existing Group A or Group B water system able and willing to provide safe and reliable potable water when it may be done with reasonable economy and efficiency, ((I))if the proposed development is ((included)) not in an approved service area that has been assigned to a Group A water system through a King County-approved coordinated water system plan((,)) and is not within the approved service area identified in ((an)) the individual water system plan of a Group A water system that has been reviewed by the county and approved by the state((, the county may require the new development to connect to an existing system able and willing to provide safe and reliable potable water when it may be done with reasonable economy and efficiency. If such a connection cannot be made, the county may authorize the creation of a new Group B water system, but only if it otherwise meets relevant land use and public health requirements, and the provisions of subsection E of this section, if applicable.));
4. ((If water service cannot be provided under subsection B.1. through B.3. of this section, the county may authorize the creation of a private well, only if the well otherwise meets relevant land use and public health requirements and the provisions of subsection E. of this section, if applicable)) By a new Group A or Group B water system that meets relevant land use and public health requirements and, if applicable, the provisions of subsection E of this section; or
5. By a private well that meets relevant land use and public health requirements and, if applicable, the provisions of subsection E. of this section. If the proposed development to be served by the private well is in an approved service area that has been assigned to a Group A water system through a coordinated water system plan approved by the King County council or is within the approved service area in ((an)) the individual water system plan of a Group A water system that has been reviewed by the county and approved by the state, the county shall condition its approval upon the future connection of the development to the water system when service from that system becomes available.
C. Existing Group A water systems shall not be expanded beyond the total number of lots that the system is ultimately designed to serve, except as otherwise provided in subsection D. of this section.
D. A Group A water system may be established or expanded if:
1. The area has been assigned to a water purveyor through a King County-adopted coordinated water system plan; and
2. Before approval of the new system or system extension, the maximum number of connections has been specified based on the number of previously platted, or otherwise legally divided, lots and the zoning approved for the total rural area being served, and Group A service is financially feasible at the resulting density, as described in an approved water system plan.
E. In a closed basin, as defined by chapters 173-507, 173-508, 173-509, 173-510 and 173-515 WAC, or on Vashon-Maury Island, a private well or a public water system created to provide domestic water for a proposed ((subdivision)) division or redivision of land and that uses an exempt well under RCW 90.44.050 shall meet the following standards:
1. The ((public water system may serve)) proposed division or redivision of land shall be for no more than six lots;
2. Only one public water system may be created to serve the ((subdivision)) lots created by the proposed division or redivision of land;
3. ((The public water system may have o))Only one exempt well may be created to serve the lots created by the proposed division or redivision of land, unless more than one exempt well is required to meet water flow requirements; and
4. The private well or public water system shall allow no more than one-half acre of irrigation.
ad requirements
publish 30 days prior official and area papers
post outside chambers
newspapers: Seattle Times/Woodinville Weekly/King County Journal/Snoqualmie Valley Record/Enumclaw Courier Herald/Issaquah Press/Federal Way News/Highline/Des Moines News/Vashon Island Beachcomber
publish: June 6 in Woodinville Weekly
June 8 in Seattle Times and other area papers
Public Hearing: July 11, 2005