The purpose of this article is to provide an equitable method for the assessing of costs and the financing of such costs for the provision of sanitary sewer service to developed lots within the city and/or annexing to the city. The following method is not intended to be exclusive.
A. Definitions and Restrictions.
1. A developed lot is defined for purposes of this article as a parcel of ground of record less than five acres, a parcel created by subdivision or lot split and any of the above occupied by a residential, institutional, or commercial structure.
2. The provisions of this article shall apply when at least ninety (90) percent of the area proposed for sewer service is composed of developed lots which are using private sewage disposal systems.
3. No area shall be considered for sewer service under the provisions of this article unless at least fifty (50) percent of the property owners of the developed lots sign a sewer connection agreement with the city in accordance with the procedures outlined hereinafter.
4. Developed lots larger than those in the surrounding neighborhood or subdivision which are subject to further development under existing zoning restrictions shall be assessed at charges higher than those described hereinafter when, in the opinion of the city engineer, such higher charges are required as a matter of equitable sewer cost assessment.
B. Financing of Sewer Extensions. Sewer extensions to be constructed under the provisions of this article may be financed by the city. The city must be reimbursed for this financed cost at such time as benefiting property owners connect to the sewer, except that sewers may be financed for a period not to exceed five years from the date of connection under the financing provisions of the short form of the 1911 Act, Chapter 27, (commencing with Section 5870 through 5895.54) of the Streets and Highways Code, state of California. The limits imposed with respect to such 1911 Act financing are a minimum annual payment to the city of fifty dollars ($50.00) plus interest with the repayment of the total amount due, with interest, to be completed in not more than five years. All monies received as a result of this chapter shall be paid to the Sanitation Fund of the city.
C. Public Financing. The city council shall establish annually by resolution the sewer connection fee which is to represent the total cost of public sewer facilities to the benefitted property owners under this article, which fee shall include and take the place of all other charges and fees other than the monthly sewer service charge specified in this chapter. Such resolution shall be adopted by the council in each calendar year. The resolution currently in effect shall prevail until such time as the resolution for the new year is adopted.
D. The connection fee shall be based on a recommendation by the city engineer considering the costs of sewer extensions for the preceding twelve-month period. The connection fee shall include the cost of sewer laterals to the property line, manholes, main line costs, plumbing permit, and the trunkline capacity charge and treatment plant capacity charge outlined in Section 13.08.750 and shall be a uniform cost per lot; except, that additional fees may be stipulated for additional dwelling units on such lots. The above provisions shall be dependent upon budgeted or specified allocations by the city council of funds sufficient to carry out the purposes of this subsection. The city council, by this chapter in no way undertakes to guarantee the provision of sewer service to any area within or annexing to the city except when, in the council's opinion, the city is able to finance such facilities, and when it is the council's judgment that there is priority need for such facilities with respect to other municipal service.
E. Sewer Connection Agreements. The property owner signing the sewer connection agreement consents to: