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higher density development is appropriate because higher density development requires urban services, particularly centralized water and sewer service. Consequently, areas without water and sewer service are not appropriate for urban type development, while those areas with water and sewer service can be w.. appropriate for higher densities. To ensure that water and sewer service is not generally expanded outside of the USA,thereby creating a de facto USA expansion, staff consistently applies the Comprehensive Plan's Urban Service Area policies. As a result, there are no rural areas of the County that would qualify for USA expansion and therefore higher densities based on the existence of water and sewer service. In order to maintain the integrity of the Urban Service Area,it is important for the County to amend its connection policies in a manner that limits the geographic area and geographic extent of properties that lie outside the USA and are allowed to connect to water and/or sewer lines. USA—Utility System Expansion Since the County adopted its Urban Service Area in 1990,the USA has been the basis for utility system expansion. Essentially,the USA established the area where water and sewer service would be provided and the area where it would be prohibited. By so doing,the Urban Service Area has provided the basis for effective utility system planning and capital improvements programming. Because of the Urban Service Area,the utilities system has grown in an efficient and effective manner. That has involved providing water and sewer service in the higher density urban areas, and limiting utility service outside the USA. By so doing,the utility system has avoided some of the problems that occur when water system expansion extends into rural areas. NOW Generally, higher costs result when water systems are designed to provide adequate fire flow in areas without the density to utilize the capacity in the transmission mains and other system components necessary to maintain fire flow. In low density/low demand areas,lower velocities flow through mains designed for optimum fire flow, resulting in more detention time for the water and a deterioration of chlorine residue. The result is poor water quality. To address that problem,the utility department has to flush lines on a regular basis, resulting in a loss of saleable potable water and higher operation and maintenance costs. Flushing is not an issue for main water lines that are part of a "looped" system. As indicated in the attached email from former Utilities Department Capital Projects Manager Mike Hotchkiss, there are various system efficiency and service quality issues to consider when extending water service outside the USA (see attachment #4). According to Mr. Hotchkiss, those issues range from higher costs to lower water quality. Therefore, it is important for the County to amend its connection policies in a manner that efficiently uses existing main lines that are part of a looped system and avoids creation of an inefficient system of county-owned lines that serve only low density areas. • Proposed Amendment With the changes proposed by staff, Policy 5.7 of the Potable Water Sub-element (see attachment#8) will allow connection to the county's centralized system for properties that lie outside the USA and are located within 500 feet of an existing centralized potable water main distribution line that is part of a looped system. Areas outside the USA that qualify for connection will be subject to the following criteria: F:\Co=unity DevelopmentComprehensive Plan Text Amendments`July 2013,PW policy 5.7 and SS policy 5.8\Staff reports\3CC staff report Final PH(12-3-13).doc 5 165