A. Any party desiring to connect to the water system shall be subject to the water system development fee listed in the rate schedule. Any future increases to the development fees will be adopted by City Council resolution after conducting a public hearing.
B. A water line that is devoted exclusively to providing fire protection services or landscape irrigation shall be exempt from the water system development fee.
C. Exemptions: All properties currently being assessed the water use charge shall be exempt from paying the water system development fee except as provided in section 8-3-8D. below.
D. Increased Water Use: Whenever a property owner requests a permit to connect an additional water service on their property said owner shall pay to the City a water system development fee. No refund shall be made to any water users who decrease their total services to their property.
E. Credit for Excess Capacity: When an applicant for a water connection permit is required to pay for water improvements that are extra capacity, general benefit facilities, the applicant may request that the cost for the extra capacity paid by the applicant become a credit against the water system development fee for properties of the applicant served by installed water improvements. The Public Works Director will determine the amount of the credit based upon the cost of the approved extra capacity, general benefit facilities.
F. Payment: The water system development fee is to be paid in full by the party seeking connection before a water connection permit for connection of the water to a building is issued.
G. Payment Alternatives: Arrangements for alternative means of payment may be made as described in the following:
1. The water system development fee may be paid through a special improvement district at the discretion of the City.
2. A property owner whose water system development fee will exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) may execute a written agreement with the City to pay any required water system development fee in equal, semi-annual payments for a number of years not exceeding a total of five years with no interest charge on the outstanding balance owed for the water system development fee. These equal, semi-annual installments shall be due and payable on November 30 and May 31 of each year. In addition to the required water system development fee, property owner shall pay an administrative fee, as specified in the utility rate schedule, per water connection to the City to initiate and administer this agreement. The administrative fee is to be paid to the City prior to initiating the agreement and deposited in the City General Fund.
3. Water system development fee semi-annual payments not paid on the due date shall be a lien upon the real property subject to the fee until paid and may be assessed a penalty pursuant to the rate schedule.
H. Use of Fee: All funds received in payment of the water system development fee shall be deposited in a segregated account. Funds shall be expended for expansion inclusive of payment of debt service for general benefit water facilities. General benefit water facilities are defined as public water treatment facilities, public wells, public water tanks, and public water distribution lines. Expenditures of these funds shall be set forth by the City Council in its capital improvements program and/or annual budget.
I Appeals: A decision made by the Public Works Director under this section may be appealed to the City Council. (Ord. 282, 11-15-2022)