(A) Water and sewer rates, connection charges, system development fees and other applicable charges shall be set forth in a schedule of fees to be determined from time to time by the Board of Aldermen and kept on file in the office of the Town Clerk. Adjustments to water and sewer rates shall be applicable to the first billing following the effective date of the modified rate.
(B) System development fees shall be established and spent strictly in accordance with the provisions of G.S. § 162A-206 et seq.
(C) Water usage charges for customers outside the Town limits shall be double the charges set forth above.
(D) Billing charges shall be based on metered water usage at the established water rate, sewer usage (based on 100% of water use) at the established rate, water system maintenance charge and sewer system maintenance charge.
(E) Tap fees (based upon meter, or user, connection size) shall include actual construction costs, permitting costs and engineering costs plus a 15% additional charge. However, for taps 2” and larger, water or sewer, owner/developer may choose to have the tap(s) installed privately only if such work meets the requirements and specifications of the town and other agencies as may be involved.
(F) Minimum commercial sewer tap size in 6”.
(G) Tap upgrade installations shall be the actual cost of the change plus the difference between impact fees.
(H) Tap installation planning cycle: The town requires a minimum of three weeks from the receipt of an order for installation until completion. However, for taps that may involve engineering, permitting or other agencies, the time to completion may be considerably longer.
(I) All persons, firms, or corporations which construct buildings for which building permits are issued after July 1, 2009, and such buildings are sprinklered or contain standpipe systems where sprinkler or standpipe systems are connected to the utility system shall not be charged a system impact fee.
(J) All new construction and renovations of existing buildings in excess of 50% of the building's physical value shall be required to install taps and meters of the size required by the town in accordance with § 50.018.
(K) System development fees established in the manner described in paragraph (A) above will be charged for all new structures connecting to the utility system for which building permits are issued after December 16, 1986. Structures, the use of which is modified after December 16, 1986 so that a larger water tap is required, will be charged the tap fees for the larger water and sewer taps plus the difference between the system development fee for the existing water tap size and the system development fee for the larger tap size required for the new use.
(L) In instances where owners of existing buildings or the town install a larger tap and meter size to meet current town standards and the installation of such larger tap and meter size is not the result of a change in use or expansion in use, there will be no charge made for the system development fee or tap fees.
(M) When an existing building is replaced with a new building on the same lot (and such lot is directly served by an existing water and sewer tap) and there is no change in use or expansion of use which requires a larger tap or meter size, there will be no charge made for the system development fee or tap fees.
(N) All persons, firms, or corporations which construct buildings for which building permits are issued after December 16, 1986, and such buildings are sprinklered or contain standpipe systems where sprinkler or standpipe systems are not otherwise required by the North Carolina State Building Code, shall receive credit for the actual cost of the sprinkler and/or standpipe system up to 25% of the system development fee, but in no case shall the credit be less than $1,500.
(Ord., passed 7-28-83; Am. Ord. 1036, passed 12-4-86; Am. Ord. 1091, passed 3-9-89; Am. Ord. 1156, passed 9-12-91; Am. Ord. 1182, passed 6-17-92; Am. Ord. 1297, passed 1-8-98; Am. Ord. 1418, passed 7-11-02; Am. Ord. 1512, passed 7-13-06; Am. Ord. 1537, passed 6-28-07; Am. Ord. 1576, passed 6-25-08; Am. Ord. 1607, passed 6-25-09; Am. Ord. 1661, passed 7-14-11; Am. Ord. 1683, passed 6-14-12; Am. Ord. 1731, passed 6-12-14; Am. Ord. 1761, passed 6-8-16; Am. Ord. 1762, passed 1-12-17; Am. Ord. 1778, passed 6-12-18)
Statutory reference:
Authority to fix rates, see G.S.§ 160A-314