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Comprehensive Plan Potable Water Sub-element Policy 5.7. During the June 18th meeting, County Planning staff explained the purpose of the USA and the USA- �ow related connection policies. After hearing from residents and planning staff,Board members discussed the merits of allowing residents with"bad water"to connect to an adjacent water line that is planned to be installed with the 66th Avenue road project. In the end,the Board directed staff to take two actions. For a long term comprehensive solution to water connection for properties outside the USA,the Board directed staff to assess Comprehensive Plan connection policies and report back to the Board. To address the near term issue of connecting 66th Avenue residents to County water, the Board directed staff to coordinate with the Health Department to determine if the 66th Avenue residents qualify for connection based on the policy exception for properties with contaminated water(see attachment#1). Consistent with the Board's direction, staff coordinated with the Health Department, assessed the county's Urban Service Area policies,including water and sewer connection policies,and reported back to the Board at its July 16, 2013 meeting. At that meeting, staff reported that, although the Health Department concurred that well water along 66th Avenue was not high quality, the water is not contaminated based on the constituents that the Health Department tests for. Consequently, staff informed the Board that residents along 66th Avenue do not qualify to connect to county water lines based on Policy 5.7's connection allowance for sites with contaminated wells. Also at the July 16th meeting,staff presented its connection policy assessment and three policy options. Those options were: 1. To make no change to existing connection policy provisions. 2. To allow water and sewer connections outside the USA without restrictions or conditions. 3. To allow connections outside the USA for properties adjacent to or near main water/sewer lines but not contiguous to the USA boundary. In the end, the Board directed staff to initiate the process to amend Comprehensive Plan connection policies to allow properties lying outside the USA to connect to major utility lines if located near those lines,regardless of whether or not the properties are contiguous to the USA boundary(see attachment #2). In response to that direction,staff initiated the formal comprehensive plan amendment process and drafted proposed changes to water and sewer connection policies (see attachment#8). • Current Urban Service Area Policies As structured, the County's Urban Service Area policies, which include water and sewer connection policies, address both growth management and utility system expansion issues. From a growth management perspective, the Urban Service Area establishes the urban and rural areas of the County based on where urban services are provided. From a utility system expansion perspective, the urban service area guides utility system design by establishing a set service area where transmission mains, pump stations, storage tanks, and other system components will be constructed. USA—Growth Management Because the Urban Service Area establishes the basis for setting land use designations, it is a determining factor of where higher densities are allowed. That relationship between the USA and F:\Contrnunity Development\Comprehensive Plan Text AmendmentsVuly 2013,PW policy 5.7 and SS policy 5.8\Staffreports\BCC staffrepori Final PH(12-3-13).doc 4. 164