(a) For the purpose of providing street improvements by the City of Charles Town there is hereby imposed upon the users thereof, that is to say, collectively upon the occupants of each residential premise, each manufacturing plant and each business premise from and after July 1, 1999, an annual fee or charge of forty-eight dollars per year. This fee shall be payable in installments consistent with the charges for utility services provided by the City, and for each period thereafter so long as this article remains in effect.
(b) The owners of all businesses and the head of the house of each residence shall be responsible for the payment of the charges. Consistent with the charges for utility services provided by the City, monthly or bi-monthly bills shall be rendered to the persons, firms and corporations.
(c) The Treasurer shall be responsible for preparing and mailing the bills and may include the charges on the monthly or bi-monthly utility bills rendered by the City to all persons, firms and corporations who are defined as users of the municipal service.
(d) The record owner of the property upon which a single family residence is situated shall be presumed to the user of the municipal service rendered for the benefit of said property and the record owner shall be liable to the City of Charles Town for said charges. However, where a tenant or occupant of a single family residence shall receive utility service, the tenant or occupant shall be presumed to be the user of said municipal service.
(e) The tenants or occupants of the residential unit of a multi-family dwelling or apartment house shall be presumed to be the users of such municipal service and shall be liable to the City of Charles Town for said charges. In the event the record owner of a multi-family dwelling is responsible for charges for utility services provided by the City, said owner shall be charged with the responsibility of collecting charges imposed by the Ordinance from tenants or occupants of such dwelling units or apartments and properly remitting same to the City and shall be liable to the City in the amount of said charges for failure to do so.
(f) In the event that a residential unit or of a multi-family dwelling or apartment house is temporarily unoccupied then and in that event the record owner of the property upon which said multi-family dwelling or apartment is situate shall be presumed to be the user of the municipal service provided to each such unoccupied unit and shall be liable to the City of Charles Town for said charges.
(g) The owner or owners of a business establishment or a corporation owning or occupying a business establishment within the City of Charles Town shall be presumed to be the users of such municipal service and shall be liable to the City for said charges. Persons doing business as partners in a business establishment within the City of Charles Town shall be jointly and severally liable for said charges. (Ord. 99-006. Passed 3-19-99.)