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Lewis County adopts ordinance allowing limited rainwater catchment for hardship residential cases
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Summary
By a 3-0 vote, the Lewis County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance 1375 to amend Title 15 of the Lewis County Code to permit rainwater catchment for existing residential structures under a new environmental health hardship policy; staff said the map in materials is illustrative and applicants must meet design and policy criteria.
The Lewis County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on April 14 to adopt Ordinance 1375, which amends Title 15 of the Lewis County Code to allow rainwater catchment systems for existing residential structures that demonstrate hardship and meet the county’s new environmental health policy and design requirements.
Mindy Brooks, director of community development, told the board: "This ordinance will amend Title 15 of the Lewis County Code, which is the building and construction section, to allow for rainwater catchment that meets the new environmental health policy, which limits it to a hardship for existing residential structures and meeting the design requirements as stated in the policy." She said the hearing record would include her opening statements.
Commissioners used the staff question-and-answer period to clarify geographic and procedural scope. One commissioner asked whether the map shown in materials (which highlights Glacier Peak) represents the only area where systems could be permitted. Brooks replied that the map was illustrative and that the criteria could be used countywide: applicants in similar circumstances across the county must apply and meet the policy to qualify.
No members of the public provided testimony during the hearing. After closing the public question period, a commissioner moved to adopt Ordinance 1375 and the board approved the motion 3-0.
The ordinance is scheduled to proceed according to county code procedures; staff said applicants would need to meet the environmental health policy and the ordinance’s design standards to pursue a catchment system. The board did not identify immediate follow-up actions beyond implementing the ordinance and publishing the adopted change.
