Frequently Asked Questions

You can contact us by email or telephone. Each department has it's own email and direct phone line. All this information is found by viewing our staff directory.

Pursuant to RCW 42.56 the city of Arlington makes public records available upon request. Please visit our webpage to request records.

The tax rate for 2010 is $1.03 per thousand dollars of assessed value. This amount goes to the City; however, your overall tax bill will also include taxes for Snohomish County, state schools and the Everett School District.

The City Council sets the property tax levy annually. For 2010, the City Council increased the property tax rate by 1% which generated additional annual property tax revenue of $22,376.

Property tax revenue is used to provide city services including public safety, recreation, planning, community development, public works, streets, library and general government.

As of April 2009 the population, as determined by the State of Washington Office of Financial Management, is 17,150. This figure influences how much gas tax and other state shared revenues the City receives.

Yes. Every year the Washington State Auditor's Office performs an on-site audit of the City's financial records and procedures.

Public hearings are held in November as the City Council prepared to set the tax rate for the upcoming year. City Council budget workshops are open to the public during that time.

It is against the law to disturb human remains without license (including cremated remains in a casket or urn), and therefore no further burials will be possible in the grave until a license has been obtained. Cremated remains can be buried in the grave at full depth, in which case they will not be disturbed by further full body burials, but by having to excavate a grave to this depth there will be additional charges for opening the grave.

When a new grave is purchased it is not the ownership of the land itself that is purchased, but the rights to have burials take place in that grave. These rights are sold, or to be more correct, 'granted' together with the rights to erect a memorial on the grave in accordance with the rules and regulations of the cemetery.

It is important that you select the cemetery that will provide you with the type of memorial that you require as regulations differ from area to area. This can be checked out by contacting the cemetery office and making inquiries about the choices and options available.

Ownership of the exclusive Right of Burial in a grave can be transferred from a deceased owner via that owner's estate. The means of transfer can be very complex and while there is a set procedure to follow, each case must be looked at individually. If you need to transfer ownership when all owners are deceased you will need to contact the cemetery office where staff will arrange for a transfer to take place in compliance with the law.

The City of Arlington is responsible for maintaining the cemetery in a safe condition, you have a responsibility to maintain your memorial in a safe condition. If you fail to do this the cemetery staff may take action to make the memorial safe. Cemetery staff carry out routine inspections of memorials in the cemetery and when one is identified as being unstable and likely to fall and injure someone it might be cordoned off, laid flat or have a temporary support installed.

You will receive a letter in these circumstances and it will be your responsibility to arrange suitable repair. Should your memorial still be under guarantee the memorial mason will be responsible to carry out repair at no extra cost to yourself. Should you ignore the notice sent to you your memorial may well be laid flat and when the lease expires you will not be allowed to renew it until repairs are made. Should no repairs be carried out and after further notification the memorial may be lawfully removed from the cemetery.

Your memorial mason also has a responsibility to provide a memorial of merchantable quality and to erect it in a safe manner. You should insist that the memorial is erected in accordance with the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) Recommended Code of Practice and seek a guarantee from your memorial mason.

When a grave is purchased to take two full body burials, the depth to which the grave is excavated for the first burial must take into account the need for the second burial. There are legal requirements as to how much earth must be left on top of the last coffin, and it is therefore not physically possible to put an extra coffin into the grave without breaking the law. However, after the grave is full for coffined burial cremated remains caskets or urns may still be buried within the grave.

No. Graves cannot be opened without the permission in writing of the registered owner of the grave. The only exception to this is where the burial is to be that of the registered owner in which case no written authority is required. The law protects your rights as registered owner of the grave.

Where individual foundations are provided for lawn memorials ideally these will be situated on un-dug ground at the head end of the grave. In these circumstances and with the use of ground anchors and fixings that comply with the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) Recommended Code of Practice, it is still possible to erect a memorial almost immediately.

In cemeteries where the headstone is erected directly on the excavated area of the grave there may be a period stipulated in the cemetery regulations which gives the ground time to settle and consolidate. During this period the cemetery staff should monitor any sinkage that becomes apparent and top up periodically with topsoil until settlement ceases. This period may differ around the country due to differing soil types and conditions. Even after settlement has ceased it is advisable to ensure that your memorial mason adopts the NAMM Code of Practice.

Yes, but the cemetery will need to be advised of this before the funeral takes place so that they are prepared.

Some cultures require that the grave is filled in while the families watch or they may wish to undertake the back filling of the grave themselves. When families want this it is essential that the cemetery is made aware of their requirements when the burial is first arranged. This will ensure that the family's wishes are met and that their safety is protected during the back filling process.

Graves are prepared for burial at least one full day before the funeral and are covered overnight. The ICCM Guiding Principles for Burial Services states that immediately after the mourners have departed the graveside, the grave shall be entirely back filled and made tidy. This work is completed on the day of the burial and coffins should not be left uncovered overnight.

Some authorities have introduced a wide range of graves to give people as many options as possible when arranging the burial of a loved one. For many the lawn grave is considered to be the best.

Graves have to be dug to a sufficient depth to allow for future burials to take place. Therefore the grave needs to be deep enough to allow not only for the depth of coffins/caskets that will be buried but also to accommodate legal requirements of undisturbed earth to be between each coffin and the amount of earth that must cover the last interment.

The Arlington Fire Department does not currently offer ongoing CPR / First Aid classes. Consider checking with Fire District 19 at 360-652-8277, Fire District 21 at 360-435-3311, Red Cross Snohomish County at 425-252-4103 or Bee Safe Education & Training at 360-658-1787.

The City of Arlington Fire Department is available to assist citizens in maintaining a healthy heart by offering free blood pressure screenings. Residents may stop by any one of our three fire stations during normal working hours throughout the year for a screening by one of the staff. Availability of staff is dependent upon call volume.

Our stations are located at:

• 137 North McLeod
• 6231 188th Street Northeast
• 18824 Smokey Point Boulevard Suite 104

Fire reports can be obtained by filling out a public records request.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshal is responsible to assure fire and life safety and to reduce the risk of fire loss to the lives and property of the citizens of Snohomish County. The Fire Marshal represents a vital communication link between the fire districts, county and state government.

The Fire Safety Council has very detailed information about creating a fire plan.  You can get that information on the Fire Safety Council website.

Burn Permits are required and issued by the Office of the County Fire Marshal and participating local fire districts for residential burning. Permits will be issued outside the Urban Growth Areas (UGA) that are located outside of the established no-burn zones and are within fire protection districts of unincorporated Snohomish County.

You can pass on a hangar up to 3 times before going back to the bottom of the list.  Remember, the registration fee is non-refundable and must be renewed on an annual basis.

Yes, however you must follow the hangar agreement, all applicable airport regulations, and other regulations, especially fire codes.

The waiting list wait period is estimated to be 3 years. These numbers are rough and can change based on the availability and turnover rate of the city-owned hangars. These numbers do not apply to the privately owned hangars.

To find out if you are on the waiting list simply call the office at 360-403-3470 or stop by and ask.

The City owns and rents 78 individual T-Hangar units with electricity (5-amps of power), and 6 twin hangar units with electricity (5-amps of power). Approximately 290 private hangar units and 3 Condominium Associations are also available on the field.  

The hangar agreement is a monthly contract. There is no requirement to sign a six month or annual lease.

The first month’s pro-rated rent, last month’s rent, a $45 fire extinguisher deposit, and a $20 key deposit is due upon signing the hangar agreement.

You can request whatever hangar that suits your needs, even if that includes requesting all three types.

You do not need to own an aircraft to get on the waiting list. Although proof of current WSDOT aircraft registration in the tenants name will be required upon accepting a hangar, unless you are in the process of building an aircraft. The tenant must either own an aircraft or have a partnership agreement in one prior to moving into the hangar.

Operating a business in a hangar is not allowed.

The hangar is for the storage of aircraft and related parts only. However, there are exceptions, the tenant may park his/her automobile in the hangar when he/she is flying their aircraft, providing the drip pan is placed under the engine.

If there is more than one plane owned by separate people, then you may share the hangar only if all people owning the aircraft have signed the agreement at the very beginning of the contract. If you are a partner in owning an aircraft then those partners do not need to sign the contract as long as your name remains on the aircraft’s registration.

The airport office strives to be fair to all current and future tenants. Allowing current tenants to sublet their hangar is not fair to those people on the hangar waiting list.

The City of Arlington has approximately 150 full and part-time positions and 35 part-paid firefighters.

Yes, a new application is required for each employment opportunity. Photocopies are accepted provided that each application has an original signature.

The City of Arlington only accepts applications for advertised positions.

You must submit a separate application for all positions in which you are interested.

No, generally a resume does not address all the information requested on the employment application.

No, the City does not accept faxed or e-mailed applications and resumes as we cannot verify if the signature is original. All applications require an original signature.

To update your address and phone number, contact the Human Resources Department at 360-403-3439 with your new information.

All applications selected for an interview will be contacted by mail or by phone. All interviewed applicants will be notified when the position has been filled. This process may take several weeks to complete.

A job description will be posted on the website with the specific job requirements. The job descriptions are also available at City Hall and also handed out with all applications.

Yes, entry level police officers go through the Public Safety Testing Website, whereas lateral police officers and all firefighters apply through the city. 

Do you know why the police had it towed? Your next course of action depends upon your answer. If the complaint is about the cost of the towing and impound, we have no control over what fees you are charged because this is a private company.

Under AMC (5.28.050) a business license is required for any person to conduct, operate, engage in, or practice any business in the city. There are some limited exceptions listed in AMC (5.28.060) such as farmers, garage sales, persons under age of 18, etc. Any violations should be reported to the Code Enforcement Officer at the Permit Center at: 

18204 59th Avenue NE

Arlington, WA 98223

Phone: 360-403-3551

Please contact the Police Department at 360-403-3400 so we may determine what happened and why.

We have little control over another agencies' rules and procedures but we would like to know your concerns for our future consideration.

To further address your concerns, contact the shelter at 360-757-0445 or visit the Human Society of Skagit Valley Website.

On June 1, 2007 all children under a certain age must be in a child restraint system. Find additional information about changes in the law on the Washington State Patrol Website. 

We can attempt contact and identification with the photographer, but generally anyone can photograph areas that are visible to the general public. If this is a repeating issue with the same subject, other laws may apply and an officer should be consulted. Also, note that realtors and appraisers take pictures of homes for a variety of reasons.

Violations of agreements between persons whether verbal or written are civil, rather than criminal issues. We do not have the legal authority to resolve these issues. Instead, if the loss is less than $1,500 the Civil section of Cascade District Court may be contacted for further information:

415 E Burke Avenue
Arlington, WA 98223
Phone: 360-435-7708 

Losses that are more than that require action in Superior Court and you should consult with an attorney.

State law prohibits the Police Department from voiding a ticket that has already been issued; only the court can dismiss the ticket. The court must verify that proof of insurance shows the person was insured at the time of the violation, prior to dismissing the charge. If an Arlington Police officer issued the ticket, the case will be sent to municipal court that is located with the Marysville Municipal Court, 360-363-8050.

Yes, we have citizen collision report forms in the lobby at the Police Station. If the accident occurred in the city and either injury or significant damage occurred, an officer should be consulted to determine if a police report is appropriate.

The city of Arlington has a permit process for Special Events. This permit application can be obtained by calling 360-403-3448, or email recreation@arlingtonwa.gov.  This permit is required for all such block parties.

Please contact the Police Department by calling 360-403-3400. Please ask to speak to a supervisor.

If your complaint is that you are disagreeing with the officer's enforcement decision in issuing the ticket, then you should contest the ticket in court. The Police Department does not change the enforcement decision made by the Police Officer.

If you have a complaint about how an officer conducted themselves, then we are interested in hearing more about that. Please contact the Police Department by calling 360-403-3400 and ask to have a supervisor contact you. Many complaints are about what we call "normal safety procedures" like the officer shined a spotlight or flashlight into the car or in the eyes, or ordered that hands be removed from pockets. These are not handled as formal complaints because of what officers have to do to be safe.

The City operates a Municipal Court under contract wit the City of Marysville because it is more cost effective to operate one court with the two cities and it provides a higher level of service to everyone. Government is always challenged to provide services at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

The City's detectives are continually handling a number of cases and are often out of the office. They do interviews and meetings on an appointment basis. If you do not have an appointment, you can leave a message for the detective and they will return your call. If your issue is not on their caseload, then please arrange to meet with a uniformed officer. Officers will also investigate cases.

The Police Department handles only those problems that occur in the city. For problems in the county, please contact the county auditor's office Animal Hotline, 425-388-3440.

Other Agencies

Everett Shelter

Phone: 425-257-6000
2732 36th Street
Everett

Noah

Phone: 360-629-7055
31300 Brandstromn Road
Stanwood

While we encourage neighbors to resolve neighborhood issues whenever feasible, our process for nuisance dog violations begins with education and warnings and continues with growing fines for multiple violations. When considering appropriate enforcement, we also bear in mind not to penalize owners whose dogs alert them to a potential threat.

Unfortunately, neither the government nor the police have the authority to handle these issues that are occurring on private property unless they directly are rabid or physically attacking people thus causing a public health hazard. This problem is best handled by calling a private exterminator service listed in the phone book. The Washington State Fish & Game Department at 425-775-1311 may be able to provide you with some technical advice.

The Arlington Police Department does not have authority to tow or impound vehicles that are in privately owned parking lots. The only way to have it removed is for the property owner to call a private tow company and have the vehicle impounded.

If the person has been residing at your residence then there is an implied residency that he can claim. You will need to contact either the Civil Department of the Snohomish County Sheriff's office and start the eviction process to have him evicted. You can also contact a civil attorney to assist you in your own eviction process that is required by civil law. By law, the Police Department cannot become involved in the eviction process.

This violation is covered under AMC 11.01.120 (6) Property Maintenance. This is a code violation and failure to comply may require the city attorney to file a judicial action (abatement). This violation needs to be reported to the Code Enforcement Officer at City Hall 360-403-3457.

Under AMC (10.54.030), No vehicle shall be parked continuously on a street or alley for more than 72 hours. Violators can be reported to the Arlington Police who will go out and tag the vehicle. After 72 hours of failing to be moved, the vehicle is subject to a parking infraction. If it continues to be in violation, the vehicle may be subject to impoundment.

Unfortunately, neither the government nor the police have the authority to handle these issues that are occurring on private property. This is best handled by the property owner where the dead animal is. This problem may be handled by contacting a private exterminator service listed in the phone book. If the animal is in on a city street, then please call the Street Department at 360-403-3459.

If both parties are legally married or living together in a relationship, then this incident becomes a civil dispute between two parties and settlement will have to be worked out either in Civil Court or amongst the two parties. This is not a criminal act that the Police can take action on. If there has been a divorce and parties are not residing together and these monies are not in dispute by both parties then the police can review the facts to determine if this can be criminally prosecuted.

Several things such as length of time the car is missing, type of permission given, your relationship with friend, any claim of ownership by friend, would need to be asked by police to determine if this incident of theft can be prosecuted criminally. Prosecutors have strict guidelines on whether a stolen vehicle can be reported if it must be resolved through the civil process. RCW 9A.56 discusses these various thefts and taking a motor vehicle without owner's permission. They can be found online.

If you are a City of Arlington resident, we will dispose of it for you. Outside the city contact your local law enforcement jurisdiction.

Your choices are listed on the back of the ticket. If it is an infraction (a green colored copy), you can make payment at the City Finance Department. If it is a criminal citation (a golden rod color copy), you must follow the directions on the back of the ticket. If an Arlington Police Officer issued the ticket, the case will be sent to our municipal court that is located with the Marysville Municipal Court, 360-363-8050.

You can contact the Police Department. We can check the case file and let you know the status of the case, or have the investigating officer contact you.

The Police Department does not have the ability to remove a suspension on a license. You will need to contact the court where the fine was paid. There are several different court jurisdictions, therefore, you will need to determine which court was handling your ticket. If an Arlington Police Officer issued the ticket, the case was likely sent to our municipal court that is located with the Marysville Municipal Court, 360-363-8050.

If an Arlington Police Office investigated your collision, the case report can be requested through a Public Records Request. Please include as much information about your collision, such as date, time, location, and a case number (if available).

Yes, for some types of property crimes, you can file an online report with the Arlington Police Department. Effective May 21, 2018, the Arlington Police Department joined several other law enforcement agencies in the county by offering this new tool.

If you are reporting a property crime that less than $5,000 in value and you do not know who the suspect is, you can visit www.mycrimereport.us to file your report with a minimal amount of typing and mouse clicks. The online crime reporting tool, which can also be accessed via mobile device, may be especially useful for victims who need a police report number for insurance purposes, but either cannot or do not want to wait for an officer to respond.

The minimum requirements for filing a report online are that the reporting party has an e-mail address and that they know the location where the incident occurred.

Examples of crimes that can be reported online include:

• Vandalism - Graffiti on a fence to a home or business.
• Theft - A stolen cell phone.
• Theft - A bike stolen from school.
• Vehicle damage, prowl - A "smash and grab" of a GPS device from a vehicle.

The online tool will generate a police report number and will send that number to the victim's e-mail, typically within 72 business hours. All reports are reviewed by law enforcement personnel. Anyone with questions about a crime and how to report it should still call 911.

If an Arlington Police Office investigated your case, the case report can be requested through a Public Records Request. Please include as much information about your case, such as date, time, location, and a case number (if available).

Arrest warrants are issued through the court system and served by police agencies. You will need to contact the courts for that information.

The Police Department is not authorized to provide criminal history information to the public. This can be done through the Washington State Patrol Watch System. To contact them by phone dial 360-705-5360.

The phone number is 360-403-3400. This is answered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Under RCW 77.15.460 the rifle must not contain any shells or cartridges in the magazine or chamber, or it is not a muzzle-loading firearm that is loaded or capped or primed. A firearm shall not be considered loaded if the detachable clip or magazine is not inserted in or attached to the firearm. Other rules for carrying firearms in motor vehicles are listed under RCW 9.41.050 with exceptions listed under RCW 9.41.060

Ask yourself this question… Who depends on you and how will they take care of themselves if you can't be there to do it for them? Most of us are aware that we need to be better prepared for emergencies and disasters and we even know what we need to do. But, most of us either haven’t done anything or we’ve done very little. Why? As one prominent social scientist has said, “when the next big disaster hits, we’re going to have a large number of highly educated dead people”. And why is that? Because we think we can take care of ourselves, or we think… I can do that later… or we think…the “government” will take care of me. We may be wrong on all counts.

We are vulnerable to several predictable types of disasters in our area. Flood, windstorm, volcano and earthquake, just to name a few. Many of us were affected by the storms in the past couple of years with power outages, flooding and wind damage. Bad enough to result in a number of Presidentially Declared Disasters. You might not have been affected…this time. Maybe it’s only one house or family that in your neighborhood that was affected, but if that one is yours, then it’s catastrophic.

Being Prepared with Food

You may not realize that most major grocery stores use a method called Just-In-Time stocking to keep their shelves full. They receive, on average, two shipments each day to keep items flowing onto and off their shelves. If the roads are impassable because of an earthquake, mudslide, downed bridge, avalanche or a storm, the shelves may not be restocked when an item is sold out. A few hours may be all it takes for store shelves to be completely empty. If we’re quick and if the store in our neighborhood is open, we may be in luck. But if the store in our neighborhood is closed, we may have to depend on what we have stockpiled in our pantry for a food supply for a few days.

The Fire Department and Police department will be busy with prioritized response activities in a disaster so routine calls will generally not get priority. Their job during the first few critical hours is to assess the situation and respond to the most critical life safety impacts. That’s why it essential to be able to care for ourselves and those that depend on us. During one of the major earthquakes in California, 94% of individual rescues were done by ordinary citizens, not emergency responders.

Ask yourself what you did (or wish you had done) during the last storm as the threat of floods and wind damage increased. What if it had been worse? What if you hadn’t been able to get home? Or to work? Or to pick up your child from school? Or what if you had gotten stranded for hours in your car? How prepared were you to handle it?

One prediction for our area is that there is an 85% chance of a major earthquake occurring during our lifetime. Washington State averages one Presidentially Declared disaster each year. We rank among the highest states in the nation for major, disruptive disasters. Most in recent years have been floods and windstorms but we in the greater Everett area are situated very near a major earthquake fault. The South Whidbey Fault runs through the tip of Whidbey Island and goes diagonally to the southeast and passes just south of downtown Everett. A moderate quake could cause significant damage.

1. Start small. Before you go to bed tonight, put a pair of sturdy shoes, a flashlight and a pair of heavy gloves under your bed. If an earthquake or other emergency hits while you are sleeping, you’ll be able to protect your feet and your hands when you go to check on those who depend on you. 
2. Next, have every member in your family fill out an Out of Area Contact Card. List important phone numbers including a friend or relative that lives out of the area that everyone in the family can call to advise of their condition and their location. We’ve learned that even when phone service is out in an affected area, we often can call out to other areas hundreds of miles away. 
3. Finally, prepare or update a Family Emergency Kit.

More Information

These are just a few small steps we all can take to make sure we are prepared for any emergency and the disaster does not become our own. For more information and to get your supply of out-of-area contact cards, please contact Paul Ellis.

Call the Utilities Office at 360-403-3526 where personnel are on duty from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the work week. If it is after working hours, call the Wastewater on-call phone at 360-403-4060. View information on how to cleanup after a sewer backup (PDF).

If you think the problem may be coming from a Wastewater Facility you can call the Utilities Office at 360-403-3526 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If it occurs after hours you can contact the Wastewater on-call phone at 360-913-1398. If you believe the smell is from another source you can contact the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency at 800-552-3565.

Only if they have a permit or if it is a City vehicle. Please notify the Wastewater Department immediately if you see this action taking place at 360-913-1398.

If water is backing up slowly or rapidly in your basement or drain and you have not, or are not using water, it is best to call the Wastewater Department first. We can then check the sewer main line for a blockage and if none is found you can then call your plumber. If you are using water and a drain is backing up, shut off the water and see if the water stops coming up. If it stops, you should probably call your plumber to see what the problem is. You can also check out this informative pamphlet (PDF).

We encourage all citizens and interested persons to tour the Water Reclamation Facility. It is an opportunity to see the inner workings of where and what happens after you flush. Contact the Utilities Office at 360-403-3526 to schedule a tour Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact the Utilities Office at 360-403-3526 and have available your address and contact information. The Wastewater Department will process this request usually within 24 hours.

Yes. You should always place diapers, tampons, rags, towels and napkins in the trash. These items can clog your indoor plumbing, cause overflows outside your home and add to the cost of treatment.

Do not dump grease down the drain. Cooking grease can clog the piping inside your house. It can also clog sewer mains and lead to overflows in yards, parks, creeks and streets. Grease also leads to higher sewer costs as all grease must be removed by expensive methods.

They use high pressure water and a series of different heads to break blockages lost in wastewater mains. These blockages can be caused from roots, grease, and vandalism. Grease comes from people dumping grease down the drain instead of disposing of it some other way, like the trash. Vandalism is when people flush things down the commode or they open a manhole and throw anything from clothes, wood, rocks, old televisions and anything else they can think of.

The wastewater collections system is being cleaned all the time. We clean different parts of the system each month. We have a goal to clean more than 10% of the system a year.

Arlington's Design and Construction Standards can be downloaded from the Construction and Utility Applications page.

Whether you are inquiring about a new plat, single family/multi family residence or commercial/industrial business, please contact the Permit Center at 360-403-3551. There are a number of different factors involved such as; where the property is located, inside/outside city limits, recovery fees, sidewalk or road cuts, type of use, etc.

For residential property, commercial or industrial property, please contact the Permit Center at 360-403-3551.

The inspection line phone number for Water is 360-403-3526. For Sewer it is 360-403-3508. For Stormwater it is 360-403-3523. Please give 48 hours notice.

Whether you are inquiring about a new plat, for single family/multi family residence or for commercial/industrial business, please contact the Permit Center at 360-403-3551.

In 1995, Arlington's City Council enacted a New Customer Capital Surcharge for new connections with occupancy between June 15, 1995 and February 15, 1999. This means if your home was built during this period of time you will see the surcharges on your bill. The surcharges were given an expiration date of ten years from the time the home was first occupied. Surcharges are as followed:

• Water Surcharge: $5.44
• Sewer Surcharge: $5.76
• Surcharge Total: $11.20

• If you are moving out of your residence or your business call Utility Billing at the Finance Department 360-403-3421 to stop an account.
• If you are doing repair work please call the Public Works Utilities Division at 360-403-3526.
• If you notice a broken water line during business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. please call the Public Works Utilities Division at 360-403-3526. If after hours call the emergency pager for water at 360-913-3862 please leave detailed message.
• For sewer emergencies during business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. call 360-403-3526. After hours call the emergency phone at 360-913-1398.

Sewer Emergencies

• Sewer emergencies can be any of the following:
  • Plugged or backed up
  • Sewer coming from a manhole
  • Sewer station alarm is going off or the red light on

There are a number of different factors involved such as: the location the property, inside/outside city limits, recovery fees, sidewalk or road cuts, type of use, etc.

For residential property, commercial or industrial property, please contact the Permit Center at 360-403-3551.

• If you are moving into a residence or a business, please call Utility Billing at the Finance Department at 360-403-3421 to start an account.
• If you have finished doing repair work, please call the Public Works Department at 360-403-3526.

You can take additional time to pay your bill as long as it is paid in full prior to the Shut-Off date on any reminders we send. Please keep in mind however, the penalties that will show up on your next bill for any late payment and do not disregard any reminders we send you or your service may be discontinued.

We pro-rate your first bill for only the days you actually lived in your new home. Usually this means the Water portion of the bill is fairly small but many people are thrown off by the size of the Sewer charges. While water is billed for the previous two months, Sewer is actually billed ahead of time. This first bill catches you up into your cycle and your next bill will reflect a normal two-month period. What this means is that many people when moving out have a very small, or even non-existent, closing bill.

To convert cubic feet into gallons multiply by 7.48.

Example: 600 cubic feet x 7.48 = 4,488 gallons.

When you leave on an extended vacation, we can turn your water off for you until you return. This keeps you from having to pay the minimum charges while you are gone. It is always wise to call us a few days before you return so we can have it on for you by the time you get back. One week of Water & Sewer service costs you $15.28. The charge for turning on your water when you return is $18.00. Keep these figures in mind when deciding if it makes the most sense to disconnect your service for the duration of your trip.

If you discover a problem with your water or sewer service, please let us know! During regular business hours, please call 360-403-3421. If an emergency, such as a water or sewer line break, is discovered after hours please call the water department at 425-258-0919 or the sewer department at 360-913-1398.

To report potholes, sidewalk problems, traffic signal problems, damaged or missing street signs or hazardous road conditions please call 360-403-3459.

To report broken bulbs or other problems with street lights please call the PUD Customer Service Department at 425-783-1000. Find more contact information on the Snohomish County Public Utility Website.

A RFA is a special purpose district established by voters in a service area that provides funding for fire and emergency medical services. A RFA can be made up of cities, fire districts or a combination of the two. Creation of a RFA is authorized by state law (Chapter 52.26, Revised Code of Washington.

Currently, there are 13 RFA’s in the state of Washington, including three in Snohomish County: the NCRFA, created in 2007—one of the first in the state; the South Snohomish County Regional Fire Authority, created in 2017; and the Marysville Fire District RFA created in 2019.

A RFA is created by development of a RFA Plan which is approved by a vote of the people in the proposed service area.  The vote required is a simple majority, unless the financing proposal includes fire benefit charges or other 60% approval threshold. North County RFA was created in 2007 by combining Fire Districts 14 and 18.  Voters in the two Districts approved the creation and funding of NCRFA at the August, 2006 election. 

Cities or Fire Districts can join an existing RFA through a process called “annexation.”  Annexation requires revision of the RFA Plan describing how the additional agency (city or fire district) would be served by the RFA; then, both the RFA and the agency proposing to annex must agree to the revised plan.   After that, voters in the agency proposing to annex must approve the annexation.  A simple majority vote is required to approve the annexation. This is the process that will be used for the potential annexation of Arlington in to the NCRFA. If the City Council and NCRFA Governing Board reach agreement on a revised RFA Plan, the City Council and NCRFA Governing Board will then submit the annexation measure to the voters of Arlington.  The annexation must then be approved by a majority of Arlington voters. The City of Stanwood and NCRFA agreed to an annexation process in 2017; Stanwood voters approved the annexation of the City into NCRFA by a vote of 83.4% in favor at the November 2018 general election.

Arlington’s elected leaders and staff are exploring annexation with the leadership of the NCRFA for several reasons.  First, it is anticipated that annexation would ensure better future funding stability for fire and emergency services in the City.  Second, Annexation would enable additional efficiencies and service level improvements in delivery of fire and EMS services across both the NCRFA and the City. There are many ways in which the current partnership could be expanded if annexation occurred. Third, annexation would relieve some of the severe pressure on the City’s General Fund which supports a broad range of important services now in addition to Fire & EMS, specifically, police, streets, courts and jail services, parks and administrative functions. Another reason that Arlington is considering annexation is to give City voters a choice about how to fund their fire and EMS services: through the current City General Fund and Ambulance Utility Fee, or through voter-approved RFA fire and EMS levies.

If Arlington voters approve annexation of the City into the NCRFA, fire and emergency medical services will be provided under the direction and management of the NCRFA.  Personnel that currently serve in the Arlington Fire Department will continue to serve the City but under the employment of the RFA.  Fire Stations and fire and EMS vehicles currently serving Arlington will continue in operation unless or until they become obsolete, and will continue to be labelled “City of Arlington Fire.” 

Under NCRFA’s current policies, upon annexation into the NCRFA, Arlington residents with health insurance or Medicaid/Medicare will no longer be billed for their deductible portion of the ambulance transport costs, regardless of whether the insurance company pays the full amount billed or not. 

Annexation will enable immediate service level improvements by bringing in-house 24-7 staffing of incident command (currently contracted out to other fire agencies in part); increase the number of vehicles to respond in incidents; increase flexibility in deployment of firefighters and paramedics; and, it is anticipated, slightly reduce response times in rural and suburban areas.

The two agencies jointly fund and share:

• a Deputy Chief Medical Services Administrator / Current COVID Specialist
• Assistant Chief Community Risk Reduction
• Community Resource Paramedic

Firefighters routinely train together across the two agencies, using common training software; this prevents duplication of effort by training staff. Both agencies respond to calls in the other’s territory almost daily, under mutual aid agreements.  Both agencies are leaders in the Northwest Incident Support Program which provides chaplains at times of need, and food for crews on large scale incidents. Arlington and the NCRFA are also finalizing a program to share Part-Time Firefighters and emergency medical technicians (Expected implementation June 2020)

If the City and NCRFA reach agreement on an annexation plan this fall, the schedule calls for the plan to be placed before Arlington’s voters at the February 2021 election.  If approved by voters, the annexation would take effect January 1, 2022. The proposed annexation operating plan is being developed jointly by Arlington and NCRFA with input from labor leaders and the public.

The answer to this question depends on multiple factors, including the taxable value of your real property.  Once the annexation becomes effective, the Arlington Ambulance Utility fee will be repealed and Arlington’s EMS levy will be replaced by the NCRFA EMS levy. Real property in Arlington will become subject to the NCRFA fire levy.

Property owners in Arlington can anticipate paying more in property taxes overall (when combining the NCRFA and City property taxes) unless other City services are significantly cut.  City leaders will be studying a full range of options over the next several months to determine what the City’s general levy rate will be in the upcoming 2021-2022 budget if the annexation is approved. The City Council and Mayor will consider both the savings to the City from shifting fire and EMS responsibility to the NCRFA, as well as the needs of other critical City services.  Future City Council’s will need to determine future City levy rates for years after 2022.

The NCRFA is supported primarily by two property taxes: a fire levy and an EMS levy.  Like the City Fire Department, the NCRFA also receives revenues from ambulance transports and other service fees and funds.  The RFA’s property tax levies are subject to the same state limits as City property taxes.  Periodic voter approval is needed to restore the purchasing power of the RFA’s property tax levies.  In 2020, the NCRFA property tax levy rates are as follows:

Fire Levy:  $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value

EMS levy: $0.39 per $1,000 of assessed value

The NCRFA is governed by a Governing Board, currently with 6 members.  The Board’s powers are similar to those of a city council.  The City and NCRFA are in discussion about how to add Arlington representation to the Governing Board of the NCRFA.  This could take many forms, including one or more Board positions appointed by Arlington—permanently or temporarily, and/or by adding Board positions, either districted or at-large, which would be directly selected by voters.

The members of IAFF Local 3728, Arlington City Professional Firefighters, provide our earnest endorsement for asking the voters of Arlington to support a merger between Arlington City and the North County Regional Fire Authority.

All of our members are proud to work for the City of Arlington and appreciate the support that we have been shown by the city council. Joining the fire authority would allow for a more stable funding model and the ability to better serve the citizens of Arlington. Joining the two entities would allow for a more focused approach to fire and EMS services for both the city and the fire authority while eliminating redundancies.

Our members value the relationship that we have with our customers and assure you that we will continue that relationship. We look at the merger as an opportunity to share with others all the things that make working in Arlington a privilege. You can rest assured we will continue all of the community-oriented events that our city loves, as we take great pride in giving back to the citizens who support us.

We do not take this endorsement of a merger lightly. Our members have spent a significant amount of time weighing other options and see this merger as an opportunity to ensure adequate fire and EMS services to the community for the long-term. We ask that you vote yes to place the merger vote on the ballot

Funding for the City’s Fire and Emergency Services Department will continue to compete for funding with other City departments as part of the City’s budget process.