To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Mark Marlowe, P.E., Director of Castle Rock Water
Title
Ordinance Amending Section 13.12.111 of the Castle Rock Municipal Code Concerning Water Budget Allocation for Landscape Types (Second Reading)
Body
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The Ordinance was approved on First Reading on November 6, 2018 by a vote of 6-0.
Executive Summary
The purpose of this memorandum is to approve an ordinance on first reading amending Section 13.12.111 of the Castle Rock Municipal Code concerning water budget allocation for landscape types. The change would adjust future non-residential irrigation water budgets based on landscaped type. Currently, these water budgets are calculated using the supplemental water requirements for Kentucky Blue Grass. Non-residential accounts have not been allowed to use Kentucky Bluegrass since 2003. Instead, these accounts have been required to use hybrid or native turf types. Kentucky Blue Grass requires 31-inches of supplemental irrigation whereas many of the hybrid or native turf types require 19-inches of supplemental irrigation. Non-residential customers established prior to July 2003 will not be impacted by this change as Kentucky Blue Grass was allowed prior to 2003.
Approximately 900 existing non-residential irrigation customers will be analyzed for a potential water budget change in the future. However, as new accounts are added, staff would like to have these budgets developed to reflect the hybrid or native turf or other actual landscape installed at the location. Staff looked at the municipal code for possible changes so this could become effective January 1, 2019 with new non-residential accounts. Attached you will see the proposed municipal code changes with landscaped type added for use in the calculation of water budgets in accordance with standard operating procedures developed and maintain by Castle Rock Water (see Attachment A.)
History of Past Town Council, Boards & Commissions, or Other Discussions
On October 24, 2018 staff presented the proposed changes to the Castle Rock Water Commission. Commission unanimously recommended Council approve the ordinance with proposed code changes.
Discussion
Staff proposes to start making the change for new non-residential accounts established after January 1, 2019. For accounts established between 2003 and 2018, staff will create a two-year process. In year one, staff will provide existing non-residential customers with their new water budgets based on actual landscape types compared with their actual water use. There will be no consequence associated with exceeding their old water budgets in year one. In year two, the new water budgets will become the actual budgets for calculating bills and excess water use. Staff will bring this plan back to Council for review and approval prior to implementation.
Budget Impact
There will be no budget impact as long as new non-residential customers stay within their landscape-specific water budgets. If they do not stay within these budgets, Castle Rock Water may see an increase in expected water use with associated operating expenses and an increase in Tier 3 rate revenues.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends Council approve the ordinance on first reading.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the ordinance as introduced by title.”
Attachments
Attachment A: Ordinance