Every person owning, operating, leasing, occupying or renting a building or structure within a district shall construct and provide that portion of the service connection on his property between the facilities referred to in Section 16.09.070 of this chapter and termination facility on or within the building or structure being served.
A. Notice to Comply. If the connection is not accomplished by any person within the time provided for in the resolution enacted pursuant to Section 16.09.030 of this chapter, the City Engineer shall give notice in writing to the person in possession of such premises and a notice in writing to the owner thereof, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, to provide the required underground facilities within ten days after receipt of such notice. The notice to provide the required underground facilities may be given either by personal service or by mail. In case of service by mail on either of such persons, the notice must be deposited in the United States mail with postage prepaid, addressed to the person in possession of such premises, and the notice must be addressed to the owner thereof as such owner's name appears, and must be addressed to such owner's last known address as it appears on the last equalized assessment roll, and when no address appears, to general delivery, Fullerton, California. If notice is given by mail, such notice shall be deemed to have been received by the person to whom it has been sent within forty-eight hours after the mailing thereof. If notice is given by mail to either the owner or occupant of such premises, the City Engineer shall, within forty-eight hours after the mailing thereof, cause a copy thereof, printed on a card not less than eight inches by ten inches in size, to be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.
The notice given by the City Engineer to provide the required underground facilities shall particularly specify what work is required to be done and shall state that if the work is not completed within thirty days after receipt of such notice, the City Engineer will provide such required underground facilities in which case the cost and expense thereof will be assessed against the property benefitted and become a lien upon such property.
B. City Engineer May Perform Work. If upon expiration of the thirty-day period, the required underground facilities have not been provided, the City Engineer shall forthwith proceed to do the work, provided, however, if such premises are unoccupied and no electric or communications services are being furnished thereto, the City Engineer shall, in lieu of providing the required underground facilities, have the authority to order the disconnection and supplying utility service to the property.
C. Assessments, Protest, Hearings. Upon completion of the work, the City Engineer shall file a written report with the City Council setting forth the fact that the required underground facilities have been provided and the cost thereof, together with a legal description of the property against which such cost is to be assessed. The Council shall thereupon fix a time and place for hearing protest against the assessment of the cost of such work upon such premises, which time shall not be less than ten days thereafter.
The City Engineer shall, after the time for hearing such protests has been fixed, give written notice to the person in possession of such premises, and to the owner thereof, in the manner provided in this section for giving of notice to provide required underground facilities, of the time and place that the Council will pass upon such report and will hear protests against such assessment. The notice shall also set forth the amount of the proposed assessment. Upon the date and hour set for the hearing of protests, the Council shall hear and consider the report and all protests, if any, and affirm, modify or reject the assessment.
D. Effect of Nonpayment of Assessment. If any assessment is not paid within five days after its confirmation by the Council, the amount of the assessment shall become a lien upon the property against which the assessment is made by the City Engineer and the City Engineer shall turn over to the Assessor and Tax Collector a notice of lien on each of the properties on which the assessment has not been paid, and the Assessor and Tax Collector shall add the amount of the assessment to the next regular bill for taxes levied against the premises upon which the assessment was not paid. The assessment shall be due and payable at the same time as the property taxes are due and payable and if not paid when due and payable, shall bear interest at the rate of six percent per year.
(Ord. 2722 (part), 1990).