ORDINANCE NO. 293

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF SOUTH PRAIRIE, PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 248, MORATORIUM ON SEWER HOOKUPS AND ESTABLISHING A METHODOLOGY OF ENCOURAGING THE HOOKUP TO THE SEWER SYSTEM ONCE A CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN OBTAINED BY SETTING A TIME LIMIT ON WHEN THE HOOKUP MUST BE MADE WHEN A CERTIFICATE IS RECEIVED AND ESTABLISHING A LOGRITHIMIC SYSTEM OF FEE INCREASES TO ECONOMICALLY ENCOURAGE THE HOOKUP.

Whereas, the Town had set forth a moratorium in Ordinance No. 248 on sewer hookups which terminated on June 1, 1993, and

Whereas, the configuration of the sewer treatment plant is such that future expansion would be difficult and costly, and

Whereas, there is concern that the purchase of sewer certificates to allow a hookup could become speculative because of the limited number that are available due to the capacity of the sewer treatment plant, and

Whereas, it is in the best interest of the citizens to set forth a methodology to reduce speculation, and

Whereas, it is in the best interest of the citizens to have a sewer certificate result in a sewer hookup to provide for a sharing of the costs of the operations of the sewer treatment plant, and

Whereas, the methodology established in this ordinance is in harmony with the proposals for the Comprehensive Plan to encourage development within the Town limits and to utilize existing infra structure efficiently and provide a system whereby the costs of the infra structure is paid by its actual users.

Now, therefore, the Town Council of the Town of South Prairie, Pierce County, Washington do ordain as follows:

Section 1: Ordinance No. 248 is repealed.

Section 2: Only one sewer hook up shall be allowed to the sewer system for each parcel of land, a parcel of land is defined as a parcel that has its own separate tax identification number, unless the parcel is in excess of five acres. A parcel in excess of five acres will be allowed one hook up for each five acres. Sewer availability certificates shall be issued prior to the issuance of a building permit. Sewer availability certificates

shall be valid for sixty days. The fee for the initial certificate shall be $55.00. Any subsequent submittal for a sewer certificate will be reviewed as an initial submittal, the fee of the subsequent submittal will be double the fee of the previous submittal for the same parcel. All fees paid are non-refundable.

Section 3: No sewer hook up shall be allowed to service any property that is outside of the Town limits.

Section 4: If any provision of this ordinance is declared to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions of this ordinance shall remain enforce and affect.

Section 5: This ordinance shall take effect and be in force five (5) days from and after its passage, approval and publication as required by law.

Mayor Dale P. Stubbs

INTRODUCED: 3-1-94

PASSED: 3-1-94

APPROVED: 3-1-94

PUBLISHED

Attested:

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Karen Barnhart

Town Clerk/Treasurer

Approved as to Form:

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Michael J. Reynolds City Attorney