Port Angeles, WA – The Port Angeles City Council has passed a new ordinance that will apply utility base rate fees to vacant residential and commercial properties within the City’s service area. This change ensures that the costs of maintaining and operating essential utility services are shared fairly by all customers.
Utility base rates are fixed fees that cover the cost of maintaining and operating the City’s electric, water, and other utility systems. The City is required to ensure these utilities are available to every customer, regardless of use. This means planning for enough capacity to serve all properties, including maintaining infrastructure, staffing, and service availability. Previously, vacant properties were exempt from paying base rate fees, burdening other customers with the majority of these costs.
Under the new ordinance, vacant properties will be charged the minimum base rate for each utility available, regardless of whether the services are being used. This will ensure that all properties with access to City utilities contribute fairly to the cost of maintaining and operating them. The ordinance will be implemented in two phases:
Phase One will begin on December 30, 2024, and applies to properties that have voluntarily disconnected from utilities, such as seasonal or part-time residences and businesses. These properties will be charged the minimum base rate for each utility available. This phase is expected to impact less than 2% of all City utility customers.
Phase Two will address vacant properties that are not currently connected to utilities, but are located within the City’s service area, including undeveloped properties. This phase will involve a detailed review of all vacant properties to determine ownership and ensure that base rates are applied fairly. Implementation of this phase will take place after the review is complete.
The City anticipates this change to generate additional revenues in the related utility funds, while ensuring that operational and maintenance costs are distributed more fairly across all customers.
For more information, please refer to our online “Frequently Asked Questions,” or contact the Utility Customer Service Division at 360-457-0411 or utilities@cityofpa.us.