(a) In addition to, and as alternatives to, the method provided in the General Statutes for assessing the cost of water and sewer lines and laterals, the Town Council, if in its opinion it would be more equitable to do so, may in its discretion levy any such assessments according to either of the following methods:
(1) Equally against each of the lots capable of being served by such line or lines; or
(2) On the basis of the footage of land upon a public street by an equal rate per foot of such frontage.
(b) In lieu of assessing the total cost of a particular project as herein provided, the Town Council may annually, between the first days of January and July of each year, determine the average cost of installing water and sewer mains or lines, and on the basis of such determination may make assessments on such average cost during the following fiscal year beginning July 1. The average cost of such installation shall include the cost of the particular size and material of lines completed during the preceding calendar year. It may also include the anticipated increase in labor and materials cost based upon the average of such increases during the preceding five calendar years. The assessment of the average cost of such lines shall not be made until after the particular assessment project has been completed. The purposes of this section are to distribute more equitably the cost of the installation of water and sewer lines throughout the Town and to permit a property owner to know in advance what the cost of installation of water and sewer lines benefiting his property will be; and to permit the most expeditious assessment of cost against the property after completion of installation of such lines. The actual cost of acquisition of rights-of-way may also be assessed as part of the cost of an individual project. If the right-of-way costs have not been determined and assessed with the assessment of the average installation cost at the time of the completion of the project, such costs may be assessed separately when they are determined.
(N.C.S.L. Ch. 2005-117, § 1(8.3))