Drafter
Clerk 11/15/2010
Title
AN ORDINANCE regarding surface water management; revising surface water management service charge; and amending Ordinance 7590, Section 8, as amended, Ordinance 7590, Section 9, as amended, and K.C.C. 9.08.080 and Ordinance 7590, Section 9, as amended, and K.C.C. 9.08.080.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. On April 28, 1986, the King County Council adopted Ordinance 7590, which established the surface water management program to provide a comprehensive approach to surface and storm water problems including "basin planning, land use regulation, construction of facilities, maintenance and public education." On December 2, 1991, the council increased the services provided by the surface water management program and set a rate structure and service charges by adopting Ordinance 10187. On November 19, 2001, the council passed Ordinance 14261, acknowledging that the costs to provide surface water management services had increased due to the ordinary impacts of inflation and due to increased and more stringent federal and state requirements for the proper management of surface water quality and quantity. On November 13, 2006, the council passed Ordinance 15638, acknowledging that the soon to be effective new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") permit would require King County's compliance with more stringent requirements.
2. Since establishment of the surface water management program in 1986, the requirements for proper management of surface water quality and quantity have continued to become more stringent. The current NPDES municipal storm water permit requires King County's compliance with more stringent requirements during the permit period, which runs from January 2007 until February 2012. The permit mandates a wide variety of programs and actions to manage surface water and improve water quality. The permit's schedule for implementing such programs and actions has resulted in escalating costs for each suc...
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