(A) The city may participate in the enclosement of ditches and improvement of existing drainage pipes and catch basins on a priority basis. The city will determine the feasibility of enclosing the ditches or improving existing drainage pipes and catch basins, and notify the adjoining property owner(s) of its intentions. The City Council shall annually determine in its budgeting process, if not before, those projects to be undertaken. Any drainage request shall be forwarded to the Public Works Director or engineer designated by the city for a recommendation to the City Council for a priority ranking, using the system below. Upon receiving the recommendation, the City Council shall determine the priority of the request for future funding.
(B) The city shall bear the full cost of design, labor, materials and equipment for those projects listed below as first priority. For all other priorities, the city will participate in enclosing or improving a ditch by furnishing labor and equipment. All design and materials costs for priorities other than first priority shall be borne by the property owners benefitted using any cost assessment formula allowed by G.S. Ch. 160A, Art. 10 and approved by the City Council. In addition, benefitted property owners must provide any required drainage easements or rights-of-way to the city at no cost. All work will be performed or contracted by the city, with payment of property owners’ shares by special assessment. No petition is required for drainage improvements, but the City Council may take into consideration the willingness of the benefitting property owners to pay special assessments, in determining whether to undertake a particular drainage project. All design of drainage facilities is subject to approval by the Public Works Director or engineer designated by the city and must meet a minimum design standard of a ten-year storm water runoff. A 20- to 50-year storm water runoff design shall be required for major watershed areas:
(1) First priority. Will be existing drainage facilities and ditches which are the responsibility of the city and are inadequately sized or constructed so that they represent a hazard to life or property;
(2) Second priority. Will be ditch lines receiving direct discharge from a city-maintained street;
(3) Third priority. Will be ditch lines receiving secondary discharge from a city-maintained street. Example: a ditch line receiving water from an abutting lot which receives direct discharge from a city-maintained street;
(4) Fourth priority. Will be side ditches on reconstructed or resurfaced streets; and
(5) Fifth priority. Will be side ditches along existing city-maintained streets.
(Prior Code, § 16-83) (Ord. passed 9-26-1989)