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With respect to the exemption for properties with a high risk of contamination, the comprehensive plan designates the Health Department as the agency that makes the contamination determination. After the June 18th BCC meeting, staff contacted the Health Department regarding water quality in the 66"'Avenue area. Although the Health Department concurred that well water in the 66'h Avenue was not high quality, it indicated that the water is not contaminated based on the constituents that it tests for. The Health Department did indicate that the water may be contaminated based on constituents that the Health Department does not test for. For that determination to be made,however,66th Avenue residents would need to have their water tested by an independent lab. Based on the results of those tests, the Health Department could then make a contamination determination. ANALYSIS As structured,the County's Urban Service Area 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 rr 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 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 appropriate for higher densities. To ensure that water and sewer service is not 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. • 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 services in the higher density urban areas,and limiting utility service outside of the USA. By so doing, the utility system has avoided some of the problems that occur when water system expansion extends into rural areas. FACommunity Development\Users\CDADMIN\AGENDA\2013\WaterconnectionoutsideUSA 071613.doc 3 165