(A) A stormwater utility user fee shall be imposed on all residential and non-residential property within the city, including those classified as non-profit or tax exempt, for services and facilities provided by the stormwater utility. This user fee is deemed reasonable and is necessary to pay for the repair, replacement, planning, improvement, operation, regulation and maintenance of the existing and future stormwater system for the city.
(B) For the purposes stated herein, there is hereby assessed a stormwater utility user fee to each stormwater utility user within the corporate limits of the city, in an amount determined below. For purposes of imposing the stormwater utility user fee, all lots and parcels within the city are classified as either residential or non-residential and shall be assessed a monthly base fee of $4 effective October 1, 2008. In addition to the base fee, the following variable charge shall also be levied:
(1) Residential. A monthly user fee of $2 per ERU shall be charged to each residential property. Each residential property is hereby assigned one ERU. Each parcel of undeveloped property, notwithstanding zoning or property classification, is assigned one ERU.
(2) Non-residential properties. A monthly user fee of $2 per ERU shall be charged to each non-residential (NR) property. For each NR property, the total amount of impervious surface will be computed in square feet and divided by 2,250 square feet to determine the number of ERU contained on the property. The resultant will be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number to determine the total ERU, but the minimum shall not be less than one ERU. Provided, however, that the maximum total monthly charge for each municipal, township, county, state, or federal NR property shall not exceed $450.
(C) The stormwater utility user fee shall be based on the relative contribution of surface and stormwater runoff from a given parcel to the city's stormwater system and shall be assessed per ERU per month. Any billings for stormwater service outside this time shall be on a per diem basis. This stormwater utility user fee rate is designed to recover and be able to pay the cost of rendering stormwater service to the users of the stormwater system, and shall be the basis for assessment of the city's stormwater utility user fee. This rate is established so as to maintain adequate fund reserves to provide for reasonably expected variations in the cost of providing services, as well as variation in the demand for services. This rate shall be evaluated annually as to its sufficiency to satisfy the needs of the stormwater utility. The following methods may be used to determine the non-residential factors:
(1) Computation of the impervious area using on-site measurements of the apparent outside boundaries in or on such developed property made by the city or on its behalf;
(2) Computation of the impervious area using the dimensions which are set forth and contained in the records of the office of the Hancock County Assessor or Center Township Assessor;
(3) Estimation, calculation and computation of the impervious area using aerial photography or photogrammertry, or as contained in the records of the city or county; or
(4) Computation of impervious area using data provided by the owner, tenant or developer. The authorized official may require additional information as necessary to make the determination.
(Ord. 2005-9, passed 6-9-05; Am. Ord. 2005-14, passed 10-13-05; Am. Ord. 2008-27, passed 9-24-08)
