(1) Any person receiving a billing statement for water quality restoration and storm and surface water management service charges pursuant to this chapter and making a timely payment thereof may apply to the director for a rate adjustment based on any of the circumstances listed in SCC 25.20.070, 25.20.080 or 25.20.100.

(2) Any person receiving a billing statement for water quality restoration and storm and surface water management service charges pursuant to SCC 25.20.040 and making a timely payment thereof may apply to the director for a rate adjustment based on any of the circumstances listed in SCC 25.20.070(1) through (3) or 25.20.100.

(3) Applications for rate adjustments shall be made to the director. The burden of proof shall be on the applicant to show that the rate adjustment sought should be granted. The director shall make a written decision on an application for rate adjustment within 60 days after receipt of the application, except when additional information is needed in which case the director shall provide the applicant with an estimated timeline for a written decision. The estimate shall be based on reasonable limits for obtaining the required information to render a decision. In the event that the applicant does not provide the additional information needed, the director shall notify the applicant that the application is cancelled. The director may also initiate a rate adjustment or correct a billing error for a property at any time when new information becomes available to the director.

(4) Applications for rate adjustments submitted pursuant to SCC 25.20.100 must be submitted within three years of the date of payment of the water quality restoration and storm and surface water management service charges. Applications for rate adjustments submitted pursuant to SCC 25.20.070 or 25.20.080 must be submitted by April 30th to be effective for the current billing year. Applications for rate adjustments submitted pursuant to SCC 25.20.070 or 25.20.080 received after April 30th shall only be effective for subsequent years. If the director grants an adjustment which reduces the charge for the current year, or, for requests submitted pursuant to SCC 25.20.100 only, for up to three prior years, the applicant shall be refunded the amount overpaid with interest at the rate specified in RCW 84.69.100, as set forth in WAC 458-18-220 or any successor regulation thereto. If the director determines that an adjustment should be made which increases the service charge due for the current year, an amended bill shall be issued and the applicant shall submit the additional amount due within 30 days of the notice of additional service charge.

(5) Any person eligible for the low income senior citizen or disabled persons exemption from service charges under SCC 25.20.070(1)(a) shall be provided a refund of annual service charges for the subject property for the current year and up to three prior years when eligibility for each year has been approved by the assessor’s office.

(6) Except for requests submitted pursuant to SCC 25.20.070(1)(a) or 25.20.100, rate adjustments shall not be retroactive and are subject to renewal every two years.

(7) Decisions of the director on applications for rate adjustments shall be in writing and shall be final. (Added by Amended Ord. 15-069, Nov. 16, 2015, Eff date Jan. 1, 2016; Amended by Ord. 17-008, Mar. 29, 2017, Eff date Apr. 10, 2017; Amended by Amended Ord. 22-042, Nov. 23, 2022, Eff date Dec. 10, 2022).