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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWAT2024-00219 LETTER - WAT Application - 11/26/2024 wA-rQoa y - oca 6659 Kimball Suite B-201 LAND USE & Gig Harbor,r,WA 98335 Tel. (253)853-1806 PROPERTY LAW j Jane Kolar- -kAdams l Counse ane®jkalerlaw.com markBlandnduselawwa.com A PMmlwal❑mired Liability Company zoning land use realPmPerly environmental November 20, 2024 Ian Tracy itracv(rDmasoncountvwa.aov Environmental Health Manager Mason County Health Dept. 415 N. 6� Street Shelton, WA 98584 Rhonda Thompson rthomoson0masoncountvwa.aov Senior Environmental Health Specialist Mason County Health Dept. 415 N. 6'b Street She Shelton, WA 98584 117 1l I� Re: Backous: 331/371 N Webster Lane Lilliwauo. WA 98555 NOV 2 6 2024 Mason County Parcel No.: 22406-51-00018 Dear Mr. Tracy and Ms. Thompson: By The Mason County Health Department has determined that my clients, Julia and Douglas Backous, in addition to the existing water connection serving the main cabin, are being required to obtain a second connection certificate, a separate water line and additional meter to serve the guest cottage that will be constructed over the existing garage. It is unclear why the Health Department is requiring a separate water meter for the guest cottage. My clients are a couple who have adult children who live in other cities. My clients are on a Group A water system --Triton Cove Water System. WAC 246-290- 010(226)defines a service connection as follows: A connection to a public water system designed to provide potable water to a single-family residence, or other residential or nonresidential population. When the connection provides water to a residential population without clearly defined single family residences, the following formulas are used in determining the number of services to be included as residential connections on the WFI form: (a) Divide the average population served each day by two and one-half; or (b) Using actual water use data, calculate the total ERUs represented by the service connection in accordance with department design guidance. (c)The calculated number of services is never less than one. Immediately, it is clear this definition of a residential water connection does not apply to the Backous' home and guest cottage. They are building one single-family residence with a guest cottage. The guest cottage is akin to having an extra bedroom in their home. There will not be a secondary residential population at the Backous property. The only residential Mason County Health Dept. November 20, 2024 Page 2 of 2 population the water connections will serve is the single-family home on a part time basis. The guest cottage will be used on occasional summer weekends by guests who will stay in the cottage rather than the three-bedroom home Mr. and Mrs. Backous are constructing. My clients are being treated differently from the other five homeowners on the water system that have an ADU; all of the other property owners have a single connection whether they have an ADU or not. It is unclear what justification supports the Health Department's differential treatment of my clients'single-family residence with a guest cottage over their garage. Further, well testing data demonstrates unequivocally that there is an adequate water supply to serve the 780 square foot guest cottage that will likely only be used about seven times a year. My clients' use of water will place very little pressure on the system; their permanent home is in Edmonds, Washington and their adult children live out of the area. Only one of the three bedrooms will be occupied regularly, on weekends. Their use of the water supply will be extremely limited. We would like to arrange a Zoom meeting to address this issue with Mason County Public Health; it is based on the misapprehension that two separate residential populations are going to use water from the Triton Cove Water System. Mr. and Mrs. Backous' use of the water will be exceptionally low because this is a second residence which will be occupied by two adults, occasionally. We are asking the Health Department to reconsider its decision requiring my clients to obtain separate water connections, pay for a meter, and incur fees a separate set of water fees. Very truly yours, LAND USE&PROPERTY LAW, PLLC Jane Kolar J RKf l Copy: Clients