Director's Rule

Title

Qualifying Streets for Drainage Service Charge Exemption Number

FIN-211.1 Rev. no.

1

Responsibility

Finance Division Supersedes

N/A Pages

2

SPU General Manager/CEO's Approval

Mami Hara Effective Date

January 1, 2017

1. PURPOSE

To ensure that owners of parcels requesting an exemption from drainage rates pursuant to SMC 21.33.030.A.5 are qualified fairly and consistently.

2. DEFINITIONS

City Streets: For the purposes of SMC 21.33.030.A.3, includes Public Places, as defined pursuant to SMC 15.02.046, that are under the jurisdiction of any City department, except that unopened or unimproved right-of-way, squares or triangles, or other areas may be excluded if they were not designed and constructed to provide a drainage conveyance function similar to Figure 4-10 of the "Right of Way Improvement Manual."

Drainage Discharge Point: As defined by SMC 21.33.010.F, the end or receiving point of the City's stormwater system that a parcel's stormwater flows to, which may include a combined or sanitary sewer treatment facility, a large body of surface water, or a major creek basin, which dictates the type of stormwater performance goals and management facilities that may be required or accepted to manage the flow or quality, or both, of stormwater from that parcel.

Other Streets: For the purposes of SMC 21.33.030.A.5, the private or public roadways that are for vehicular traffic or road purposes owned in fee or by easement by a person or private or public entity ("Owners") other than the City of Seattle or State of Washington. Sidewalks on Other Streets are generally not considered exempt unless it is demonstrated that they were designed and constructed to provide a drainage conveyance function similar to Figure 4-10 of the "Right of Way Improvement Manual." Parking lots and driveways act as part of a private collection system and are not considered Other Streets eligible for exemption from drainage charges.

Public Place: As defined by SMC 15.02.046.D, includes streets, avenues, ways, boulevards, drives, places, alleys, sidewalks, and planting (parking) strips, squares, triangles and right-of-way for public use and the space above or beneath its surface, whether or not opened or improved.

3. RULE

In accordance with SMC 21.33.030.A.3 and A.4, City Streets and State of Washington Highways are exempt from the payment of drainage service charges.

Owners of Other Streets must apply in order to be considered for an exemption from drainage service charges. In order to qualify for such an exemption, Other Streets must provide drainage service in a manner similar to City Streets, as further described.

A. Functional Criteria to Qualify for Other Streets Exemption

1) Streets on properties not covered as a Co-Permittee or a Secondary Permittee with the City of Seattle under the NPDES Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit must collect stormwater from more than one property, including property(s) with an owner distinct from the property on which the Other Street is located.

2) Streets on properties covered as a Co-Permittee or a Secondary Permittee with the City of Seattle under the NPDES Phase 1 Municipal Stormwater Permit may collect stormwater from one property or from more than one adjacent property with the same owner of record.

3) All Other Streets and associated drainage facilities must convey stormwater runoff to a Drainage Discharge Point.

B. Maintenance of Other Streets by Owners

1) Owners of Other Streets must comply with the maintenance requirements of Appendix G of the "Stormwater Manual" (Joint Director's Rule: DPD 21-2015/SPU DWW-200).

2) Owners must provide a maintenance plan and maintenance history for Other Streets.

C. Eligibility Confirmation for Other Streets Exemption

Prior to approving an exemption for Other Streets from the payment of drainage service charges, and annually thereafter, the Utility shall have the right to inspect the Other Streets to confirm application information and continued eligibility for the credit. Inspection may include review of maintenance history and confirmation that the Other Street meets conveyance requirements and that all drainage facilities including catch basins are maintained in accordance with Appendix G of the "Stormwater Manual."

4. AUTHORITY/REFERENCES

SMC 21.33, Storm Drainage Utility Rates and Charges