Proposed code amendments for Mountlake Terrace’s utility rates and connection fees for mixed-use development will be reviewed and considered at the City Council’s Aug. 4 meeting.

Recent growth in new mixed-use and multifamily development has made it necessary to update existing buy-in fees and policies to ensure equity among commercial, multi-family and single-family ratepayers.

A “buy-in fee” is the amount charged to new development in order to reimburse the city’s utilities for a proportionate share of past and future utility improvements designed to serve development.

Earlier this year, the City contracted with HDR to conduct a study of these issues. The findings were presented to the City Council on June 16. Following the presentation, the City Council gave direction to update the municipal code based on some of the recommendations in the HDR study.

These include adding a mixed-use classification to the City Code, requiring new mixed-use developments to meter uses separately, updating meter weighting factors for 3” and 4” meters based on actual flow characteristic of the city’s water meters, and correcting an error related to the assessment of capital connection fees for residential fire sprinkler systems.

For more information on the utility rates and connection fees for mixed-use development, contact Assistant City Manager Scott Hugill at 425-744-6208 or at shugill@ci.mlt.wa.us.