(a) For the purposes of this Section 921.001, the “Service Area” is defined as the area served by the Euclid Creek Tributary Interceptor Sewer as referenced in “Exhibit A” copyright date 12/20/02 and attached to original Ordinance 2002-116 as the “Service Area” within which connections can be made to said sewer system.
(b) An “Equivalent Unit” as used in this Section is defined as a discharge flow as estimated by the City Engineer of 400 gallons per day.
(c) A “tap-in fee” shall be paid for each connection to said sewer system.
(d) The amount of the tap-fee shall be three thousand dollars ($3,000) per Equivalent Unit. The tap-in fee shall be adjusted by the City Engineer in accordance with the discharge flow.
(e) An accessible sewer is defined as:
(1) A sewer that complies with the current statutes of the State of Ohio and the regulations of the Lake County General Health District (LCGHD); and
(2) A sewer having the ability to provide gravity service to the first floor of the dwelling or building unit.
(f) Connection to Public Sanitary Sewer System.
(1) On and after the effective date of this Ordinance, all existing dwelling and building units within the Service Area, shall be separately connected to the public sanitary sewer system when said sanitary sewer is deemed accessible and is accepted for public use.
(2) All properties officially cited by the Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) as having a failing Household Sewage Treatment System or within an area designated by the LCGHD as having failing systems shall be required to connect to a public sanitary sewer within thirty (30) days from the service of a notice that the sanitary sewer is accepted for public use.
(3) All properties not officially cited by the Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) as having a failing Household Sewage Treatment System or within an area designated by the LCGHD as having failing systems shall be required to connect to an accessible public sanitary sewer within one year from the service of a notice that the sanitary sewer is accepted for public use.
(4) No person, firm or corporation shall construct or cause to be constructed any dwelling or building unit unless the dwelling or building unit is fully and properly connected to an accessible public sanitary sewer. In locations where sanitary sewers are not accessible, the dwelling or building unit shall be fully connected to a Household Sewage Treatment System approved by the Lake County General Health District (LCGHD). No dwelling or building units so constructed shall be so occupied unless the construction is in full compliance with the provisions of this Chapter.
(g) Notice to Connect to Sanitary Sewer.
(1) If any dwelling or building unit designed for the occupation and use of persons is found not to be separately connected to an accessible public sanitary sewer, the Mayor or his designee shall cause written notice to be served upon the owner or owners of said dwelling or building unit to cause said connection to be made. In the event said connection is not accomplished within the time frames stipulated in this section, the City shall cause it to be done at the expense of the owner or owners.
(2) The notice under this Section shall be served by the Clerk of Council, or a person designated by such clerk, upon the owners of the lots or parcels of land to which such connections are to be made in the same manner as service of summons in civil cases, or by certified mail addressed to such owner at his last known address or to the address to which tax bills are sent, or by a combination of the foregoing methods. If it appears by the return of service or the return of the certified mail notice that one or more of such owners cannot be found, such owners shall be served by publication of the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipal corporation. The return of the person serving the notice or a certified copy thereof or a returned receipt for notice forwarded by certified mail accepted by the addressee or anyone purporting to act for him shall be prima-facie evidence of the service of notice under this Section.
(h) Connection by City at Owner’s Expense. If upon expiration of ninety (90) days from the service of the notice, the owner or owners of such dwelling or building unit or other buildings designed for the occupation of persons, having not connected the same properly to the public sanitary sewer, the Mayor or person designated by him shall forthwith proceed to purchase the materials and employ the labor necessary to make such connections, and shall have the work completed as quickly as possible. Upon completion of such work, an itemized statement of the cost thereof shall be at once mailed to such owner and the owner may pay the same at any time within thirty (30) days from the mailing of the notice. If the owner does not pay the cost of such connection within the thirty (30) days, the Mayor or person designated by him shall certify the itemized statement of the cost of materials and labor to Council and Council shall, by ordinance, assess the cost of such connection plus a penalty of five percent (5%) upon the property so connected and the same shall thereupon be certified to the County Auditor to be collected by him as such other special assessments are collected. (Ord. 2002-116. Passed 1-23-03.)