AgdaPkt 2006-06-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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88 Page 6 John P. T. Lowe 504 Chelsea Way Redwood City CA 94061 City Clerk Redwood City Council 1007 Middlefie!d Rd Redwood City CA 94063 Re Park Atherton Lake Association Chelsea Way, Redwood City April 7. 2006 Dear Madam Clerk, At last Monday's meeting I brought to the Council's attention the high irrigation water rates paid by the 100 residences within our Association. A change in billing practices is needed in order to be treated equitably with the charges made to single residences. At the moment there are only two billing structures: residential and commercial. Our irrigation water meters are classified as residential, as if the water is being used by one high usage residence. The impact of this classification really hit home in 2005 when the top residential usage rate went from $2.40 to $4.32 an increase of 80%. For a while the Association was partly classified in 2005 at the somewhat lower commercial rate. When I started seeking relief for the Association, all meters were increased to the $4.32 rate category. I should point out that each residence has its own meter for personal use. These are billed and paid separately. My petition relates to the irrigation supplied by 4 meters distributed around the 100 residence property. When the Association's irrigation usage is divided by 100 residences the consumption is clearly in the second tier rate of $2.16. This means that the excess of $2.16 (50%) is subsidizing, at our expense, the amounts paid by other accounts: most likely single residences. This subsidy can only be resolved by a third equitable pricing structure or by applying a fair multi-residence discount if the City continues the present two rate structure. This petition is to seek fiscal fairness. Lowering usage wherever possible continues to be our goal. In 2005 usage was 7,172 units nearly 25% less than 2004. Let me know if there are questions. I shall appreciate if this petition can be given prompt attention. Yours truly, John Lowe, Treasurer Park Atherton Lake Association Ccy R. Foust Councilwoman (by email) Mr. Peter Ingram, Public Works Services Director (by mail)