Chapter 13.09 SANITARY SEWER CONNECTION FEES

Chapter 13.09
SANITARY SEWER CONNECTION FEES

Sections:

13.09.010 Tampering with sewers forbidden.

13.09.020 Application and permit for connections with public sewers – Fee.

13.09.010 Tampering with sewers forbidden.

No person not a city employee shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, discharge into or disturb any public sewer or appurtenances thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the city engineer. [Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.09.020 Application and permit for connections with public sewers – Fee.

A. The owner, his agent, or his sewer contractor shall make application on a form furnished by the city, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications, and other information as are deemed necessary by the city engineer for enforcement of this title, and a permit to perform work in public rights-of-way or easements shall be obtained from the city engineer prior to performing sewer work in such areas or making connections to public sewers.

B. There shall be three classes of sewer permits/connections:

1. Service for single-family residential sewage users;

2. Service for all other users discharging domestic strength sewage; and

3. Service for industrial or commercial users discharging other than domestic strength sewage, that is, sewage of a type, composition, toxicity or in amounts greater than discharged by an equivalent residential unit. Before commencing connection to the city sewer system, the owner or owner’s agent shall make application to connect to the city sewer system on a form provided by the city. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the city engineer.

C. The fee for inspection of new sewer service for users discharging domestic strength sewage into the city sewer system shall be as set by city council in the master fee schedule.

D. The fee for inspection of new sewer service for users discharging other than domestic strength sewage, that is, sewage of a type, composition, toxicity or in amounts greater than discharged by an equivalent residential unit, shall be established by the public works director’s calculation of the cost of material, wages or other applicable costs necessary to make the inspection.

E. All fees for connection to the sewer system, as well as all other system fees, including amounts to be collected under latecomer agreements, shall be paid to the city prior to connection to the city sewer system. [Ord. 16-14 § 6 (Att. F), 2014; Ord. 16-13 § 2, 2013; Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.09.030 Sewer system development fee.

A. The sewer system development fee herein imposed is a connection fee charged so that the property on which it is imposed will pay its equitable share of the cost of the existing capital sewer facilities which are system-wide in nature and are not site specific. Sewer system development fees include the property’s equitable share of the costs required to upgrade the sewage system to meet the demands imposed by the new connection and a share of the debt service incurred to construct the necessary general facilities of the system.

B. The sewer system development fee is hereby imposed as a connection charge pursuant to RCW 35.92.025 on all premises which have not yet connected to the city sewer system or which have not paid their equitable share of the cost of the existing system. The sewer system development fee shall be paid in full prior to the time a building permit is issued by the city, or prior to the time the sewer usage to the property is expanded.

C. The sewer system development fee for a single-family residential unit and each dwelling unit of a duplex inside the city limits shall be as set by city council in the master fee schedule. The sewer system development fee for a single-family residential unit and each dwelling unit of a duplex outside the city limits shall be as set by city council in the master fee schedule. Prior to approval of the construction plans for a preliminary plat, or approval of a short plat or binding site plan, the owner and/or developer shall pay a portion of the sewer system development fee as set by city council in the master fee schedule for each proposed lot.

D. The sewer system development fee for all other users discharging domestic strength sewage not listed in subsection C of this section shall be based on the size of the water service as set by city council in the master fee schedule.

E. The sewer system development fee for industrial customers or commercial customers discharging other than domestic strength sewage, that is, sewage of a type, composition, toxicity or in amounts greater than discharged by an equivalent residential unit, shall be calculated by the public works director.

F. The funds collected pursuant to this section, as sewer system development fees, shall be deposited into the cumulative reserve fund for sewer development created by Chapter 3.36 WRMC and disbursed therefrom only in accordance with the provisions thereof. [Ord. 4-17 § 1, 2017; Ord. 16-14 § 6 (Att. F), 2014; Ord. 4-11 § 1, 2011; Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.09.040 Sewer line development fee.

A. The sewer line development fee herein charged is a site-specific connection fee charged so that the property on which it is imposed will pay its equitable share of the costs of the existing sewer collection system to which the property will be connecting where the property has not already participated in these costs, through an improved subdivision with developer-installed lines or having been assessed as part of a local improvement district for the sewer line, or through payment under an approved latecomer agreement for the sewer line.

B. The sewer line development fee is hereby imposed as a connection charge upon all premises which have not yet connected to the system set forth in subsection A of this section. The sewer line development fee shall be paid prior to issuance of a building permit for the property.

C. The sewer line development fee imposed herein for a parcel of property is computed as set by city council in the master fee schedule.

D. The sewer line development fee collected by this section shall be deposited into a fund entitled “sewer line development fund” and shall be used by the city for sewer line development. [Ord. 16-14 § 6 (Att. F), 2014; Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].