Kennewick council adopts ambulance permitting, updates municipal code and approves master fee schedule

The Kennewick City Council on Aug. 19 approved several ordinances and a resolution intended to update municipal code references, clarify ambulance permitting and centralize city fees.

Key outcomes

- Ambulance permitting ordinance adopted (unanimous 7‑0). The ordinance updates Title IX, chapter 9.36 of the Kennewick Municipal Code to align local definitions and permit conditions with current prehospital emergency medical care guidelines used in Adams, Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties. It requires clearer labeling of non‑emergency ambulances, public education to call 911 for emergencies and gives the city auditing authority over permittees.

- Domestic violence code housekeeping ordinance adopted (unanimous 7‑0). The ordinance updates Kennewick Municipal Code references to align with current state statutory citations noted by staff; the change replaces an out‑of‑date reference last amended in 2017.

- Resolution adopting a master fee schedule approved (unanimous 7‑0). The resolution creates a single, publicly accessible master fee schedule that consolidates fees previously scattered throughout city code and other documents. Staff said the schedule does not raise fees and…