The Town Council is authorized to apportion and assess the cost or
expense of laying out and constructing such water mains as it caused
to be extended upon the lands and buildings in the Town, which shall,
in its judgment, be specifically benefited thereby and shall abut
on such work, and upon the owners of such land and buildings, subject
to the right of appeal as by statute may be permitted. In determining
that portion of the cost or expense which is commensurate with the
benefits covered on abutting properties for the purpose of making
assessments on such properties, the Town Council may consider the
cost of materials, installation, service connections, curb, sidewalk
and highway repairs, the cost of installation of gate valves on shutoffs,
any compensation, fees, charges and expenses of any attorney, engineer,
surveyor, superintendent or inspector employed by the Town Council,
the cost of any property purchased or acquired as the Town Council
shall determine is required for such extension, interest on bonds
or notes issued therefor, the costs of preparing maps, plans and specifications,
the cost of installation of one service lateral to each existing or
projected lot to be serviced by such main, and the cost of printing,
publishing or serving advertisements or notices. In computing the
amount of such assessments, whenever larger than eight-inch pipe is
installed as part of such extension, the extra cost of installing
a pipe larger than eight inches shall not be assessed against the
owners of abutting properties, but the cost of installation in excess
of the cost of installing an eight-inch pipe shall be paid for by
the Southington Water Department. It shall be the intent of this chapter
that a uniform front foot rate for such water main extension shall
be established so that in areas where higher costs are encountered
or where conditions would result in higher than average cost, such
abutting property would pay only the average cost per front foot.
A corner lot or a lot belonging to the same owner and abutting upon
more than one serviced street shall not be assessed on the same portion
of such lot upon its total frontage on both of such streets but shall
be exempt therefrom upon its frontage on one of such streets to an
amount not exceeding the greater dimension provided for in the zoning
classification adopted for the area in which the property is located,
if the property owner owns that number of feet. In the case of property
located on an angle or curve in any street, the total front foot measurement
shall be estimated proportionately to the area of such property for
a depth of 60 feet from the street. Properties used exclusively for
railroad tracks, property covered by water, and cemeteries shall be
exempt from being liable for reimbursement hereunder.