Any authorized utility fees which remain unpaid for a period of six (6) or more months after the date upon which they were billed may be collected thereafter by the City as provided as follows:
(a) The City Council shall cause a report of delinquent utility fees to be prepared periodically. The City Council shall fix a time, date and place for hearing the report and any objections or protests thereto;
(b) The City Council shall cause notice of the hearing to be mailed to property owners listed on the report not less than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the date of the hearing;
(c) At the hearing the City Council shall hear any objections or protests of property owners liable to be assessed for delinquent fees. The City Council may make such revisions or corrections to the report as it deems just, after which, by resolution, the report shall be confirmed; and
(d) The delinquent fees set forth in the report as confirmed shall constitute special assessments against the respective parcels of land and are a lien on the property for the amount of such delinquent fees plus late charges and cost of lien. A certified copy of the confirmed report shall be filed with the City Clerk, or auditor appointed by the City Council, for the amount of the respective assessments against the respective parcels of land as they appear on the current assessment role. The lien created attaches upon recordation, in the office of the San Bernardino County Recorder, of a certified copy of the resolution of confirmation. The assessment may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary City ad valorem property taxes are collected and shall be subject to the same penalties and the same procedure and sale in case of delinquency as provided for such taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection and enforcement of City ad valorem property taxes shall be applicable to such assessment.
(§ 4, Ord. 2785, eff. November 16, 2003)