Bonney Lake City Council members established variable rates to reflect reduced demands multi-famaily units place on the city’s sewer system during their Sept. 22 meeting.

The sewer system development charge (SDC) for all family housing was $9,099 per unit, with no distinction made between single-family and multi-family housing. The approved ordinance will not increase the current SDC rate for single-family housing and will be retroactive to May 1. It does not contain a sunset provision.

Under the new ordinance, the fee for multi-family residential building with more than two units are:

• 80 percent of $9,099 per dwelling unit for three or more bed/bonus room units, or $7,279.

• 70 percent of $9,099 per dwelling unit for two bed/bonus room units, or $6,369.

• 60 percent of $9,099 per dwelling unit for one bed/bonus room units, or $5,459.

• 50 percent of $9,099 per dwelling unit studio/efficieny units, or $4,549.

Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman said the ordinance is an incentive ordinance crafted to encourage developers to create more, smaller units.

“It’s a lot better than where we currently are, but still puts a significantly higher burden for SDC charges on apartments,” Sumner’s Michael Corliss, said.

Corliss said the city sewer SDC rate is two and half times more than the rate charged by Sumner and Puyallup.

“Bonney Lake is different than Sumner and other municipalities because of the city’s cost structure,” Corliss said.

Councilman Mark Hamilton said he’s confused why the city’s sewer SDC rates are so much higher than Sumner’s.

“The sewer treatment is in Sumner, we use the same treatment plant,” Hamilton explained. “We’re puzzled here why our rates are so much higher than Sumner. We’re supposed to be 50-50 partners.”

Councilman James Rackley noted that Sumner has more apartment dwellers than homeowners because of the lower sewer SDC rate.