A. 
Fee to Be Charged. A general facility charge (GFC) shall be charged on all new or expanded service connections connecting to the utility system pursuant to the utility fee and rate schedule established in Section 3.12.100(A) for utility service. For the purposes of this section, the term “new or expanded service connections” includes discharges of stormwater into the city’s natural drainage systems, including but not limited to drainage swales, creeks, streams, rivers, lakes, and marine waters. The general facility charge shall be in addition to any special agreements or provisions for mitigation of impacts or requirements for expansion/upgrading to the utility system by any development or project.
B. 
Utility System Defined. The utility system is defined as that infrastructure designed and constructed for the purpose of providing for delivery of services or natural drainage systems used for stormwater collection, conveyance, or treatment, and shall include, but not be limited to, water supply, treatment, transmission, storage and distribution facilities, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, and stormwater collection, treatment and detention facilities, including but not limited to drainage swales, creeks, streams, rivers, lakes, and marine waters.
C. 
Equitable Share. The general facility charge shall be proportionate to the cost of providing facilities and services to previously unserviced property and all changes in use that increase demand on, or discharges into, the municipal utility system. The fee shall reflect the equitable share for that connection to the utility’s system and shall be computed based on equivalent residential units (ERUs) for water and wastewater and impervious surface units (ISU) for stormwater.
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2003-16 § 32 (part), 2003; Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (part), 2016; Ord. 2017-13 § 1, 2017; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018)
A. 
The general facility charge for water and wastewater shall be calculated by multiplying the number of equivalent residential units (ERUs) associated with the service connection (as determined under Section 13.70.130) by an adjustment factor based on the type of service (as provided in Section 13.70.140) in order to arrive at an adjusted number of ERUs, and then multiplying the adjusted number of ERUs by the general facility connection cost set forth in Section 3.12.100.
General Facility Charge
=
(Adjusted # ERU) x (General Facility Connection Cost)
Adjusted # ERU
=
(# of ERU) x (Adjustment Factor)
B. 
The general facility charge for stormwater shall be calculated by impervious surface unit (ISU) where one ISU is equal to three thousand square feet of impervious area as defined by Section 13.70.720(B).
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (part), 2016; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018)
Single-family, multifamily, commercial buildings with transitory living units, and associated residential irrigation ERUs are calculated by multiplying the number of dwelling units by the appropriate ERU adjustment factor in Section 13.70.140. Commercial, industrial, and other nonresidential and associated irrigation ERUs are calculated based on the meter flow factor equivalent ERUs in the table set forth below. The meter flow factor equivalent ERUs are based on the water meter size and shall be calculated according to the average continuous flow factor of a displacement type meter where a five-eighth-inch or three-quarter-inch meter shall have a flow factor equivalent to one ERU. There is no adjustment factor for individual commercial, industrial, and other non-residential uses.
Meter Size
Average Continuous Flow Factor (gpm)
Meter Flow Factor Equivalent ERUs
5/8" or 3/4"
10
1.0
1" (residential)
10
1.0
1" (commercial)
25
2.5
1 1/2"
50
5.0
2"
80
8.0
3"
160
16.0
4"
250
25.0
6"
500
50.0
8"
800
80.0
*
One-inch (residential) meter size calculated at 1.0 ERU only for instances in which the residence is utilizing a flow through fire sprinkler system, as installed in construction built in or after 2014. The fire suppression system requires a one-inch service meter to operate properly. The meter has the capacity to flow at twenty-five gpm but would only be utilized at that capacity in the event of a fire. Additional information regarding meter size and operation is found in Section 3.12.100.
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2015-09 § 1 (part), 2015; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018; Ord. 2019-02 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2019)
Calculation of the general facility charge shall include an adjustment factor associated with the level of service required by the respective customer classes and shall be apportioned and assessed as noted:
Single-family residence
1.00 ERUs/unit
Duplex, triplex, four-plex, ADU
0.85 ERUs/unit
Apartments/condominiums (five or more units)
0.80 ERUs/unit
Transitory living units (motels/hotels, care facilities)
0.40 ERUs/unit
Commercial/industrial
1.00 ERUs/unit
Irrigation systems
0.50 ERUs/unit
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018; Ord. 2019-02 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2019; Ord. 2025-12 § 2 (Att. A), 2025)
The calculation of the general facility charge for expanding services on previously serviced property shall be computed based on the difference in meter size and shall be calculated according to the standard flow factor of a displacement type meter where a five-eighth-inch by three-quarter-inch meter shall have a flow factor equal to one ERU.
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018)
The general facility charge shall be assessed and paid at the time of issuance of the building permit and shall be in addition to other rates, fees, assessments, and charges established for service.
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018)
A. 
Calculation of Credit. A fee credit associated with the assessment of the general facility charge may be given subject to petition by the property owner or developer for the value of off-site mitigation or improvements related to the providing of additional capacity beyond the requirements necessary to meet the property owner or the developer requirements, which benefit the utility system. The credits shall be proportional to the additional capacity provided by the planned capital improvement.
B. 
Limit on Credit. The total credit, if any, as provided in this subsection shall not exceed the amount of the total general facility charge due and payable to the utility that applies to the property or development requiring service as a result of the improvements.
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018)
In addition to such other changes as may be approved by city council, commencing January 1, 2010, and in January of each successive year thereafter, the fees, rates and charges in Section 3.12.100(A) shall automatically be adjusted based upon the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the year ending June 30th of the previous year with a minimum increase not less than two percent and a maximum increase not to exceed six percent. However, these fees shall not, in any case, decrease.
(Ord. 2009-02 § 3 (part), 2009; Ord. 2018-15 § 2 (Att. A (part)), 2018; Ord. 2018-19 § 1 (part), 2018; Ord. 2022-16 § 2 (Att. A), 2022)