1. Determination of Necessity. In the event the Council has determined the necessity of constructing a sanitary sewer facility or water system facility, and the owner or owners of a tract of land outside the assessment district of said sanitary sewer facility or water system facility desire connection thereto, and the City determines that the utilization of a connection fee is the most equitable manner in which to recover the City’s costs associated therewith, the Council shall proceed in compliance with Section 384.38 of the Code of Iowa and shall give notice as provided in Subsection 2 of this section.
2. Notice of Public Hearing. The City shall cause a “Notice of Public Hearing on the Proposed Adoption of an Ordinance to Establish a Connection Fee District” to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the City. In addition to indicating the date, time, and place of the public hearing, the notice shall:
A. Indicate the nature and extent of the sanitary sewer facility or water system facility constructed to which the tract or tracts in the connection fee district are to be connected, as well as the estimated costs for the design and construction of same;
B. Identify by general description the proposed connection fee district to be served by the sanitary sewer facility or facilities; and
C. Set forth the proposed schedule of connection fees to be paid by property owners within the benefited district who connect to said facilities, expressed in dollars per acre of land area served for single-family residential housing. Connection fees will be adjusted upward for higher volume users.
3. Public Hearing; Property Owner Comments.
A. Comments of Owners. At the public hearing, the owners or occupants of properties within the proposed connection fee district shall be heard and may offer comments or objections as to:
(1) The necessity for connection to the sanitary sewer facility or water system facility;
(2) The calculation of the area benefited by the connection fee district;
(3) The estimated costs of the facilities to which the tract or tracts in the proposed connection fee district or districts are to be connected; and
(4) The proposed connection fee as to each tract or lot in each tract.
B. City Options. Upon concluding the hearing, the Council shall rule upon the objections presented during the hearing and may consider the proposed ordinance to establish a connection fee district. Upon consideration of the proposed ordinance to establish a connection fee district, the City may:
(1) Create the connection fee district as proposed and affirm the proposed connection fee;
(2) Alter the proposed connection fee district or the proposed connection fee; or
(3) Make any other provision relative to the proposed connection fee district or connection fee which the Council determines to be equitable in the premises.