For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ADJUSTMENT. An increase in a nonresidential customer’s stormwater service fee for certain activities that impact stormwater runoff or impact the city’s costs of providing stormwater management.
CITY. City of Urbandale.
COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL. Any developed land whereon multiple-family dwellings, commercial retail and office, industrial and manufacturing buildings, storage buildings and storage areas covered with impervious surfaces, parking lots, public and private school buildings, churches, hospitals and convalescent centers have been constructed.
CUSTOMERS OF THE STORMWATER UTILITY. Includes all persons, properties and entities served by and/or benefitting from the utility’s acquisition, management, maintenance, extension and improvement of the public stormwater management system and facilities.
DETACHED DWELLING UNIT. Developed land containing one structure which is not attached to another dwelling and which contains one or more bedrooms, with a bathroom and kitchen facilities, designed for occupancy by one family. DETACHED DWELLING UNITS may include houses, manufactured homes and mobile homes located on one or more individual lots or parcels of land.
DEVELOPED LAND. Land that has been altered from its natural state by construction or installation of 500 or more square feet of impervious surface area as defined in this section.
DIRECTOR. The Director of the Stormwater Utility. The Director of Engineering and Public Works shall be the Director of the Stormwater Utility.
DUPLEX DWELLING. A building containing only two dwelling units and designed for and occupied exclusively by not more than two families with separate housekeeping and cooking facilities for each. In the application of stormwater service charge rates, DUPLEX DWELLING PROPERTIES shall be treated as two single-family dwellings.
EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNIT (ERU). The average impervious area of a detached dwelling unit property within the city, and shall be used as the basis for determining stormwater service charges to developed properties. Three thousand, two hundred square feet of impervious area shall be equivalent to one ERU. Every additional increment of one square foot to 320 square feet of impervious surface area shall be one-tenth ERU.
ERU RATE. The dollar value periodically determined and assigned to each ERU as a charge for stormwater management services, expressed as $x.xx per ERU.
IMPERVIOUS AREA. The number of square feet of hard-surfaced areas which either prevent or resist the entry of water into soil surface, as it entered under natural conditions as undeveloped property, and/or cause water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow from that present under natural conditions as undeveloped property. This includes, but is not limited to, roofs, roof extensions, patios, porches, driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, pavement, athletic courts and semi-impervious surfaces such as pervious pavement and gravel which are used as driveways or parking lots.
MULTIPLE-FAMILY DWELLING. A building or portion thereof containing three or more dwelling units which are attached vertically, and designed for or occupied by three or more families with separate housekeeping and cooking facilities for each. In the application of stormwater service charge rates, MULTIPLE-FAMILY DWELLING PROPERTIES shall be treated as commercial/industrial, except as defined elsewhere.
OCCUPANT. The person residing or doing business on the property. In a family or household situation, the person responsible for the obligation imposed shall be the adult head of the household. In a shared dwelling or office situation, the adult legally responsible for the management or condition of the property shall be responsible.
OWNER. The legal owner(s) of record as shown on the tax rolls of the city, except where there is a recorded land sale contract, the purchaser thereunder shall be deemed the OWNER.
SERVICE CHARGE. The periodic rate, fee or charge applicable to a parcel of developed land, which charge shall be reflective of the service provided by the city stormwater utility. SERVICE CHARGES are based on measurable parameters which influence the stormwater utility’s cost of providing services and facilities, with the most important factor being the amount of impervious area on each parcel of developed land.
SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING. A building containing only one dwelling unit and designed for and occupied exclusively for residence purposes by only one family.
STORM SEWER. A sewer, which carries stormwater, surface runoff, street wash waters and drainage, but which excludes sanitary sewage and industrial wastes, other than permitted discharges.
STORMWATER. Stormwater runoff, snowmelt runoff and surface runoff and drainage.
STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM. All human-made facilities, structures and natural watercourses used for collection and conducting stormwater to, through and from drainage areas to the points of final outlet including, but not limited to, any and all of the following: conduits and appurtenant features, canals, creeks, catch basins, ditches, streams, gullies, ravines, flumes, culverts, siphons, streets, curbs, gutters, dams, floodwalls, levees and pumping stations.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. The tasks required to control stormwater runoff using stormwater management systems, to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, and comply with relevant state and federal regulations.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND FACILITIES. The issue of drainage management (flooding) and environmental quality (pollution, erosion and sedimentation) of receiving rivers, streams, creeks, lakes and ponds through improvements, maintenance, regulation and funding of plants, structures and property used in the collection, retention, detention and treatment of stormwater or surface water drainage.
STORMWATER UTILITY. The utility established under this chapter for the purpose of managing stormwater and imposing charges for the recovery of costs connected with stormwater management.
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION. Represents the date when the construction has been completed and the city has acknowledged that the construction has been completed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications through the issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy or permanent certificate of occupancy.
SURFACE WATER. Water bodies and any water temporarily residing on the surface of the ground including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, streams, puddles, channelized flow and runoff.
TOWNHOME DWELLING. A building containing three or more dwelling units which are detached or attached horizontally, and not vertically, wherein the land or lot beneath each dwelling may be individually owned in common by a townhome association. In the application of stormwater service charge rates, each TOWNHOME DWELLING shall be treated as one single-family dwelling.
UNDEVELOPED LAND. Land in its unaltered natural state or which has been modified to such minimal degree as to have a hydrologic response comparable to land in an unaltered natural state shall be deemed undeveloped. UNDEVELOPED LAND shall have less than 500 square feet of concrete pavement, asphalt or compacted gravel surfaces or structures which create an impervious surface.
WATER COURSE. A natural overland route through which water passes, including drainage courses, streams, creeks and rivers.
(Ord. 2010-05, passed 5-4-2010)