Chapter 13.24
SEWER CONNECTION CHARGES
Sections:
13.24.030 Authority to enforce.
13.24.040 Sewer connection permits required.
13.24.050 Determinations of capacity.
13.24.060 Building plans required.
13.24.080 Sewer fund – Deposits.
13.24.100 Refunds of connection fees.
13.24.010 Scope.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to new buildings, substantially altered buildings, and changes in building occupancies for which building permits have been issued after May 10, 1979. (Prior code § 5-4.1501)
13.24.020 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:
“Average daily flow” means the number of gallons of sewage discharged into the public sewer during a typical twenty-four hour period.
“City engineer” means the city engineer of the city, or his assistant or duly appointed representative.
“Floor area” means the area within the surrounding walls of a building, or portions thereof, exclusive of vents, shafts and courts.
“Peak flow” means the instantaneous maximum rate of sewage discharged to the public sewer and, for the purposes of this chapter shall be determined as three times the average daily flow rate.
“Public sewer” means the main line public sanitary sewer, including any sewer or sanitary pipeline or portion thereof, and any sewer main, trunk sewer, or appurtenance in a public place or sewer easement which connects, directly or indirectly, any lot or part thereof with any part of the sanitary sewer system of the city. (Prior code § 5-4.1502)
13.24.030 Authority to enforce.
The city engineer shall enforce and administer all the provisions set forth in this chapter. (Prior code § 5-4.1503)
13.24.040 Sewer connection permits required.
A. A sewer connection permit shall be required for any person to make, or cause to be made, a connection to a public sewer.
B. The sewer connection permit and the fee required for such permit shall be obtained from the city engineer. The fee for such permit shall be based on the established fees as prescribed in this chapter. (Prior code § 5-4.1504)
13.24.050 Determinations of capacity.
A. Public sewers shall provide, at all times, sufficient capacity for peak flow rates of discharge. The city engineer shall determine the necessary capacity required by each public sewer to efficiently provide proper sewage collection throughout the city. When it is determined by the city engineer that the anticipated sewage discharge generated from a proposed development or redevelopment will exceed the capacity in the existing sewer system, the building permit of such development or redevelopment shall not be issued.
B. The following table is established as a basis for computing the average daily flow to the sanitary sewer:
|
Occupancy |
Average Daily Flow |
|---|---|
|
Single-family residences, including condominiums and apartments |
200 gallons per dwelling unit |
|
Assembly areas |
5 gallons for each 7 sq. ft. of floor area usable for seating occupancy |
|
Auditoriums |
5 gallons for each 7 sq. ft. of floor area usable for seating occupancy |
|
Bars and cocktail lounges |
20 gallons for each 15 sq. ft. of floor area usable for seating occupancy |
|
Churches |
200 gallons per day per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area usable for seating occupancy |
|
Hospitals |
|
|
Surgical |
500 gallons per bed; and |
|
Convalescent |
100 gallons per bed |
|
Hotels |
200 gallons per room or apartment unit |
|
Industry, light (no water processes) |
300 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area |
|
Laundries, automatic (public) |
75 gallons per machine |
|
Medical offices |
300 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area |
|
Motels |
200 gallons per unit |
|
Offices |
200 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area |
|
Restaurants |
50 gallons for each 15 sq. ft. of floor area usable for seating occupancy |
|
Schools |
|
|
Elementary |
9 gallons per capita; and |
|
Others |
25 gallons per capita |
|
Stands for sales of lunches, ice cream, beverages and similar items |
300 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area |
|
Storage garages and warehouses |
25 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area |
|
Stores, commercial and display |
100 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area |
C. Any other occupancy not specifically mentioned shall be classified by the occupancy it most closely resembles as determined by the city engineer.
D. The daily flow to the sanitary sewer for a building containing mixed occupancies shall be the summation of the peak flows of the various occupancies as set forth in the table above.
E. The daily flow from a room or building which is used for a variety of occupancies at different times shall be determined by the occupancy which yields the largest peak flow.
F. In the event an area of occupancy, in use prior to May 10, 1979, is to undergo structural modifications and such modifications shall not increase the peak flow as it existed from the location to the sanitary sewer immediately prior to such date, the owner shall submit to the city engineer an affidavit or statement pursuant to Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the state, in duplicate, verifying the actual occupancy load prior to such date.
G. The average daily flow rates as depicted in the table set forth in this section shall be used as a standard for calculating the total average daily flow. However, the peak flow rate, which is three times the average daily flow rate, shall be used as a basis of computing connection fees because the peak flow rate reflects the design criteria of the sewer system. (Prior code § 5-4.1505)
13.24.060 Building plans required.
In order to calculate the peak flow sewage discharged to the sanitary sewers, a set of building plans and/or any other information required shall be submitted to the city engineer. (Prior code § 5-4.1506)
13.24.070 Connection fees.
A. Every application for a sewer connection shall be accompanied by the following connection fees:
1. For each single-family residence unit, including condominiums, each unit of multiple dwelling, each hotel room and each motel unit or motel apartment, the sum of one hundred forty dollars per unit;
2. For each bar or cocktail lounge, the sum of fifty five dollars for every fifteen square feet of floor area usable for seating occupancy;
3. For each industrial unit where no water processes are directly involved in the industry, the sum of eight hundred ten dollars for each one thousand square feet of floor area;
4. For each medical office or unit providing medical, dental or veterinarian services, the sum of eight hundred ten dollars for each one thousand square feet of floor area;
5. For each restaurant, the sum of one hundred thirty-five dollars for every fifteen square feet of floor area usable for seating occupancy;
6. For each auditorium or assembly area, the sum of three dollars and fifty cents for every seven square feet of floor area usable for seating occupancy;
7. a. For each surgical hospital, seven hundred dollars per bed; and
b. For each convalescent hospital, one hundred forty dollars per bed;
8. For each elementary school, the sum of six dollars and thirty cents per student; for all other schools, the sum of seventeen dollars and fifty cents per student;
9. For each outdoor restaurant, lunch stand, or lunch counter devoted to the sale of lunches, ice cream, beverages and similar items, the sum of eight hundred ten dollars for each one thousand square feet of floor area;
10. For each storage garage and warehouse, seventy dollars for each 1,000 square feet of floor area;
11. For each store and shop devoted to commercial enterprises or display purposes, the sum of two hundred seventy dollars for each one thousand square feet of floor area;
12. For each public automatic laundry, the sum of three hundred dollars per machine;
13. For each church, the sum of two hundred eighty dollars for every one thousand square feet of floor area usable for seating occupancy;
14. For each office not otherwise specifically enumerated, the sum of five hundred forty dollars for each one thousand square feet of floor area; and
15. For each use category other than those defined in this section, the sum of ninety dollars per one hundred gallons per day of peak flow.
B. The applicant shall declare all the information necessary to comply with the provisions of this chapter and shall pay to the city engineer, at the time of the issuance of a permit, those charges based on the peak flow created by the new construction as established by subsection A of this section. No plumbing permit or certificate of occupancy shall be issued until the charges levied by this chapter have been paid. (Prior code § 5-4.1507)
13.24.080 Sewer fund – Deposits.
All revenues collected pursuant to Section 13.24.070 shall be deposited with the city treasurer and credited to the city sewer fund. (Prior code § 5-4.1508)
13.24.090 Sewer fund – Use.
All revenues received in the city sewer fund may be expended or transferred from the city sewer fund only for the following reasons:
A. To accomplish any lawful purpose relating to sewer construction or improvement;
B. To accomplish any lawful purpose set forth in Section 5471 of the Health and Safety Code of the state;
C. To accomplish any other sewer purpose the council may lawfully authorize;
D. To pay engineering costs, mileage expenses, overhead costs and construction costs necessarily incurred in the construction of relief sewers;
E. To pay refunds as authorized by Section 13.24.100; and
F. To repay, with or without interest, funds advanced to the city sewer fund from any other fund. (Prior code § 5-4.1509)
13.24.100 Refunds of connection fees.
In the event any person shall have paid the applicable sewer charge based on the peak flow created by the new construction as provided in this chapter, and no portion of the new construction shall have been commenced and the permit for such construction shall have been canceled or expired, such person shall be entitled to a refund in an amount equal to one hundred percent of the sewer charges paid by such person, minus one percent of said charge; however, the amount retained shall be not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars. (Prior code § 5-4.1510)
13.24.110 Waiver of charges.
The city council may by resolution waive the payment of sewer connection charges if it finds that all or a substantial portion of a multiple unit residential development is being built for senior citizens or low and moderate income housing and all or part of the funds for said construction are being provided by state or federal agencies. (Prior code § 5-4.1511)