§ 18-508 EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNIT (ERU).
   (A)   Establishment. There is established for purposes of calculating the storm water user fees the equivalent residential unit (ERU) as a method of measurement. The equivalent residential unit is hereby established to be 3,412 square feet of impervious area.
   (B)   Definition. The ERU is the average of the total square footage of the impervious surface areas of developed single-family residential property within the city as approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
   (C)   Setting the ERU. The ERU shall be set by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in the storm water user fee schedule as adopted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
   (D)   Source of ERU. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen shall have the discretion to determine the source of the data from which the ERU is established, taking into consideration the general acceptance and use of such source on the part of other storm water systems, and the reliability and general accuracy of the source including, but not limited to, property tax assessor’s rolls, site examination, mapping information, aerial photographs and other reliable information.
   (E)   Evaluation of ERU. The ERU shall be evaluated by the Storm Water Utility as necessary, but the ERU shall be evaluated at least every five years.
   (F)   ERU rate established.
      (1)   The ERU rate to be charged for storm water management utility fees for each ERU is hereby established as follows:
 
Rates as of July 1, 2023
$5.25 for Residential
$5.00 for Commercial
Rates as of July 1, 2024
$6.75 for Residential
$6.50 for Commercial
Rates as of July 1, 2025
$7.75 for Residential
$7.75 for Commercial
 
      (2)   Beginning July 1, 2026 an escalation of $0.25 or an amount equivalent to the consumer price index, all urban consumers parent of inflation, whichever is greater shall be added annually to both residential and commercial customers.
(2011 Code, § 18-508) (Ord. 09-39, passed 12- -2009; Ord. 09-42, passed - -2009; Ord. 23-04, passed 5-1-2023)