(a) A special service charge area known as the solid waste collection district, consists of that area of the county defined on maps in the office of the director where residential solid waste was collected under contract with the county government on June 1, 1977. The executive may expand or reduce the collection district under procedures adopted by Regulation under method (2) or by the county council in the comprehensive solid waste management plan. The executive may subdivide the collection district, and revise the boundaries of any subdistrict when that action will improve service or reduce cost.
(b) In the Solid Waste Collection District, a person may engage in the business of collecting solid waste from any single- or two-family dwelling unit under a private contract with the owner or occupant of the unit in addition to the collection by the County or its contract agent. The County or its contract agent must be the primary collection agency for single- or two-family dwelling units. The County or its contract agent must also be the exclusive collection agency for any multifamily building with 6 or fewer dwelling units. The County or its contract agent must not collect solid waste from any building with 7 or more dwelling units.
(c) The Director of Finance is authorized to bill and collect all County service charges imposed on property within such Solid Waste Collection Districts for solid waste collection service in the manner in which ordinary taxes are now or hereafter may be collected under the provisions of the general and local laws of the State and County; upon default in the payment of any service charge the property against which such service charge has been made shall be sold at tax sale in the same manner as real property is sold for nonpayment of ordinary taxes.
(d) The County Council must set charges annually for solid waste collection and management services under Section 48-31. These charges must correspond as closely as practicable to the actual cost, or an allocable portion of the cost, to the County to perform such services.
(e) The Director must certify, before each real property tax billing cycle, which properties are receiving solid waste collection service in the collection district.
(f) Service charges which are due and payable to the County, but which are omitted from tax bills for any reason, may be billed separately when due and may be collected as ordinary debts or may be added to a succeeding tax bill as provided in subsection (c) of this Section. (1981 L.M.C., ch. 37, § 1; 1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 47; 1992 L.M.C., ch. 39, § 1; 1995 L.M.C., ch. 18, § 1; 1997 L.M.C., ch. 19, § 1.)