Ordinance 2214MAE/trs
5/14/81
ORDINANCE NO. 2214
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASH-
INGTON, AMENDING SECTIONS 7.10.010, 7.10.020
AND 7.10.060 OF THE EDMONDS CITY CODE
REGARDING WATER SERVICE BILLING ACCOUNTS
AND PROCEDURES TO REQUIRE THAT ALL SUCH
ACCOUNTS AND PROCEDURES BE IN THE NAME OF
AND REFER TO THE OWNERS OF SUBJECT PROPERTY
AND NOT THE LESSEES; AMENDING SECTION
7.10.070 CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE DEALING
WITH TURN ON AND TURN OFF CHARGES; AND
REPEALING SECTIONS 7.10.090 AND 7.10.100
PROVIDING FOR THE COLLECTION AND RETURN OF
A DEPOSIT FROM WATER USERS THAT LEASE
SUBJECT PROPERTY, AND FURTHERMORE, SETTING
FORTH A PROCEDURE FOR TRANSFERRING WATER
BILLING ACCOUNTS TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND
TERMINATING ACCOUNTS OF PERSONS LEASING
SUBJECT PROPERTY.
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the City
of Edmonds to streamline the billing procedure for water
service provided by the City; and
WHEREAS, there is a high turn -over rate of the
approximately 480 water service accounts in the name of
lessees causing a costly, confusing and unnecessary admin-
istrative burden on the City of Edmonds; and
WHEREAS, the provisions regarding turn on and turn
off charges for maintenance purposes should be clarified;
and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City
that an orderly procedure be established for the transfer of
accounts presently in the name of a lessee to the name of
the owner of such property; now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON,
DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 7.10.010 of the Edmonds City
Code is amended to read as follows:
"7.10.010 APPLICATION FOR WATER USE
All applications for the use of water shall be made at the
public works department by the owner, or by the owner's
authorized agent, on printed forms furnished by said depart-
ment for that purpose, and shall contain the name and
description of the lot, block and addition. The applicant
shall state the purposes for which the water is to be used
and shall agree to conform to the ordinances, rules and
regulations, with modifications which may be adopted, as a
condition for use of water.
Section 2. Section 7.10.020 of the Edmonds City
Code is amended to read as follows:
"7.10.020 ACCOUNTS - PAYMENTS
All accounts shall be kept on the books of the water divi-
sion in the name of the owner, and all charges shall be made
against the property as well as the owner thereof. No
change of ownership or occupancy shall affect the application
of this section. All bills are payable within 25 days from
the billing date. Flat rates are payable in advance. If
water bills are not paid within a stated period, the water
may be shut off. Water will be turned on after payment of
the fees as set forth in Section 7.10.070, in addition to
the amount of delinquent charges."
Section 3. Section 7.10.060 of the Edmonds City
Code is amended to read as follows:
"7.10.060 LIMITATION ON WATER USE
The city council by resolution may, in the case of shortage
of water, or for any other reasonable cause, forbid and/or
limit the use of water in the city, or in any portion there-
of, for irrigation or sprinkling purposes. Notice of such
resolution shall be given in a manner designed to advise the
public of its terms, including by publication in the offi-
cial newspaper of the city, not less than one day before the
effective date of such resolution. In the event of a
violation of any such resolution, the water may be turned
off from the premises and the same shall not be turned on
again until the owner has paid to the water division the
charges set forth in Section 7.10.070."
Section 4. Section 7.10.070 of the Edmonds City
Code is amended to read as follows:
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"7.10.070 TURN ON AND TURN OFF CHARGES
A. Charges for turning water off or on at the main shall
be as follows:
1. Where streets are not paved, fifteen dollars.
2. Where streets are paved, the actual cost of such
service is to be charged against the applicant.
B. The charge for turning on or turning off the water
other than at the main shall be ten dollars. If the
water is turned on or turned off at any time other than
regular working hours (eight a.m. to five p.m.), on
weekends or on any holiday, the charge shall be twenty
dollars.
Section 5. Section 7.10.090 of the Edmonds City
Code regarding a deposit from lessee users is hereby repealed
and deleted from Chapter 7.10.
Section 6. Section 7.10.100 of the Edmonds City
Code regarding the return of deposits collected in 7.10.090
is hereby repealed and deleted from Chapter 7.10.
Section 7. All accounts in the name of a lessee
shall be terminated within thirty (30) days from the notice
as set forth herein.
The Director of Public Works or his designee is
authorized to notify the owners, and/or the known authorized
agents of such owners, of rental property currently served
by an account listed in the name of a lessee and to notify
the lessees in whose name an account is presently listed, of
the change established by this ordinance. The notice shall
state that the owner shall have thirty (30) days from the
date of such notice to apply to the City for a water service
account in the name of such owner. The notice shall further
state that failure to apply for water service in the name of
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the owner shall result in the termination of water service
to the subject property and that such service will be resumed
only after such application has been made by the property
owner or the owner's authorized agent. When an application
is submitted by the property owner, or the owner's authorized
agent, pursuant to the terms of the Edmonds City Code, the
Director of Public Works or his designee is directed to
transfer water service presently in the name of the lessee
to the name of the property owner and to close accounts in
the name of the lessee of such owner's property, provided
all outstanding charges are paid. The lessee's deposit
shall be applied against the balance of any outstanding
water service charges and the remainder of such deposit
returned to the lessee.
The Director of Public Works is further directed
to terminate water service to any property where the account
is in the lessee's name and the property owner has failed to
apply within thirty (30) days from the date of the notice.
The Director shall also terminate service if there are
charges owing against the lessee's account in excess of the
amount of the lessee's deposit unless the balance is paid.
The Director of Public Works shall have the authority to
extend the time period during which an owner must apply for
a water service account beyond the thirty (30) days from the
date of notice if, in the Director's discretion, extra-
ordinary circumstances exist in a particular case which make
compliance with this ordinance within such period impossible.
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Section 8. This ordinance shall be in full force
and effect five (5) days after passage and publication by
posting as provided by law.
APPROVED:
MAYOR, H. H. HARRISON
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
CITY CLERK, IRENEdIARNEY MORAN
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY:
l�4
FILED WITy THE CITY CLERK: Ma 15, 1981
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: June 30, 1981
POSTED: July 2, 1981
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 7, 1981
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING ORDINANCE
STATE OF WASHINGTON
ss:
COUNTY OF SNOHOMISH
IRENE VARNEY MORAN
, being first duly sworn
on oath deposes and says that s he is over the age of eighteen (18)
years and is competent to testify as to the matter stated herein.
There is no official newspaper or other newspaper printed and
published within the City. In accordance with RCW 35A.12.160, on
the 2 day of July , 1981, affiant posted true and
correct copies of the attached Ordinance No. 2214 , passed by the
City Council on the 30 day of June , 1981, at the
official posting places for City notices which are the public
bulletin boards at the following locations:
Edmonds Civic Center
250 Fifth Avenue North
Edmonds, Washington 98020
Edmonds Public Library
Civic Center, 250 Fifth Avenue North
Edmonds, Washington 98020
Edmonds Branch of United States Post Office
201 Main Street
Edmonds, Washington 98020
DATED this 2 day of July , 19 81.
!J
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this day of
19
No ary ublic in and for the
State of Washington, residing
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