By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
One water meter can serve two commercial properties if they both belong to one business owner, are located next to each other and if the two properties are owned by one person and the first property does not use a significant amount of water.
John Bliss, owner of the storage units located at 365 South Main, had three questions when he came before the Mona City Council. He wanted to know if he could have his meter installed at his storage unit property, he inquired about his water credits and he wanted to know if he could have a light installed on the pole near his business.
"In the future, I am planning on developing the lot just south of the storage units," Bliss said. "I plan to put commercial offices there when the time is right."
He also wondered if he would be allowed to bolt two signs identifying his business on to the building on the west and north sides. They would not be lighted signs and would measure 4-feet by 8-feet.
Those signs would be allowed under the sign ordinance.
"The real reason I am here tonight," said Bliss, "is to have a water meter installed at the storage sheds."
He needed to be able to wash out a unit from time to time and needed a right to hose down areas.
For seven years, he said, he had a right to a connection but had never used water there before. He did have a water line installed when the first set of his storage sheds were built.
He would install a frost-free tap, he said.
There is a water line to his property, but there is no meter which means that until there is, there can be no service.
Michelle Dalton, city secretary and treasurer, said that his record with the city shows the culinary credits and what Bliss has paid to the city.
He said that he has a French Drain in the back of his property but on the bulk of it he has just gravel. Used water would pass through the gravel and be cleaned before going into the water table.
He does not have outside watering shares, he said.
Greg Newton, mayor, said that the property used to have a meter and Bliss did have culinary credits. There was also natural gas.
"I was turning people wanting to rent a storage unit away," Bliss said, "so I decided to add the final phase."
Next he plans to build a professional complex, he said.
That would be located on the property just south of the storage units, he said, and would be next door to the Benson Trucking Company property. That would wait until there would be enough professional businesses in the not too distant future.
Bliss wondered if he could take one of the culinary water credits assigned to his storage units to make up the three required culinary credits needed for a building lot. He has two culinary credits for the professional property and would need three. He has three, that he has not used in seven years, assigned to the storage units property. That gives him five in all and he would need six to have water at both properties.
Bliss was told that he could always purchase another culinary credit.
"You don't own any irrigation water?" asked Jeff Smith, council member.
Bliss said that he did not. He owned another six-tenths of an acre where he hoped to build six offices with a half-bath each.
He would need one and a half acre-foot of water per connection.
Lynn Ingram, planning commission director, said that the service station recently built was required to have five and a half credits. They had to be dedicated to the lot so that they would stay with the property and not with the owner in case there was a change in ownership.
"For a commercial property, it could end up that you would need more credits," said Molli Graham, council member.
It would be figured on how many toilets, sinks, showers, washers were needed and the number of employees were to be hired.
Perhaps, rather than connecting a meter to the storage shed property, it could be connected to the professional offices property. The five and a half credits would likely be enough if they were all concentrated on the professional property.
"Is the water already dedicated to the storage shed property?" asked Graham. "Can it be moved if it is?"
Everd Squire, city finance director, said that it could be moved.
"Put your connection close to the property line," said Graham. "Then drag a hose to the storage shed that needs to be cleaned out whenever that happens."
The city council agreed that Bliss could install the meter next to the property line of the future professional office property and could then use a hose as needed.
There will be no greenery at the storage shed property so that will not be an issue.
As for a light pole and light being installed by his storage shed property, said Newton, that would be up to Rocky Mountain Power. They are the electric power suppliers for the community and it would be their decision what could be done.
