(A) Establishment of storm water drainage utility. Pursuant to M.S. § 444.075, as it may be amended from time to time, the city hereby establishes a storm water drainage utility and authorizes the imposition of just and reasonable charges for the use and availability of storm sewer facilities.
(B) Findings and determinations.
(1) In the exercise of its governmental authority and in order to promote the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare, the city has constructed, operated and maintained a storm sewer system (the system). This section is adopted in further exercise of the authority and for the same purposes.
(2) The system, as constructed, heretofore has been financed and paid for through the imposition of special assessments, the acceptance of public improvements installed by private developers and ad valorem taxes. It is now necessary and desirable to provide an alternative method of recovering some or all of the future costs of improving, maintaining and operating the system through the imposition of charges as provided in this section.
(C) Rates and charges.
(1) Residential customers will be billed $8.77 per month.
(2) Commercial customers will be billed $17.03 per month.
(3) Industrial customers will be billed $28.53 per month.
(D) Exemptions. Public street rights-of-way, city-owned properties and unimproved, vacant parcels with no impervious surfaces are exempt from storm water drainage charges.
(E) Utility fund.
(1) There is hereby created a storm water drainage utility fund into which all utility charges when collected shall be placed, together with all monies received from the sale of any equipment, facilities or products from the utility system.
(2) Expenses and costs incurred by the city in the operation, maintenance and improvement of the storm drainage utility system shall be paid out of the fund to the extent monies exist therein.
(F) Establishment of tax lien. Any past due storm water drainage fees in excess of 90 days past due on October 1 of any year may be certified to the County Auditor for collection with real estate taxes in the following year pursuant to M.S. § 444.075, subdivision 3, as it may be amended from time to time. In addition, the city shall have the right to bring a civil action or to take other legal remedies to collect unpaid charges.
(Ord. 477, passed 12-9-2003; Am. Ord. 502, passed 10-10-2006; Am. Ord. 518, passed 10-14-2008; Am. Ord. 573, passed 12-9-2014; Am. Ord. 581, passed 12-22-2015; Am. Ord. 594, passed 12-12-2017; Am. Ord. 643, passed 11-22-2022)