For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
"Utility bills"
means the monthly statement issued by the city which reflects the costs of services rendered on behalf of customers during the preceding 30 day period.
"Utility charges"
means all charges for the provision of water, sewer, garbage, and storm drain services within the city as authorized pursuant to Sections 8.16.160, 8.16.170, 13.16.230, 13.04.120 through 13.04.170, and this chapter.
(Prior code § 54.01)
A. 
All persons making application for new utility service, or making application for a change of utility service site who have not maintained a satisfactory collection record with the city as to satisfactory credit worthiness defined herein, shall make a security deposit at the time of making the application. The amount of the deposit required for utility service shall be $150. For purposes of this section "utility service" is defined as "water and sewer service."
B. 
All persons who have a delinquent account(s) resulting in disconnection shall be required to make a deposit of $150 prior to reconnection if there is not a current deposit available on the delinquent account(s).
C. 
Upon satisfactory collection of a subscriber's utility bill for a consecutive 12 month period, the deposit paid under this section shall be refunded or applied to the current balance of the account.
D. 
"Satisfactory credit worthiness," as used in this section, means a payment record reflecting no more than one delinquent notice within a consecutive 12 month period with the city.
E. 
A fee $35.00 shall be charged for restoring water service to the same user when it is discontinued for failure to pay a delinquent account.
F. 
In the even it is necessary to lock a water meter because of a delinquency and the lock is subsequently found damaged or cut, a fee of $50.00 shall be charged in addition to the fee set forth in subsection E of this section.
(Prior code § 54.02; Ord. 00-183 § 2; Ord. 08-274 § 1; Ord. 24-460, 12/9/2024)
A. 
A schedule of water rates billing shall be furnished to each customer at the beginning of each fiscal year. Any charges for water on the utility bill, as defined in Section 13.20.010, shall be due and payable upon presentation. If such charges are not paid by the last day of the month in which they are billed, the late charge set forth in Section 13.20.050 shall be added.
B. 
If a water bill has not been paid by the nineteenth day following its mailing, the service shall be subject to disconnect. The procedure specified in Public Utilities Code 10010.1 shall be followed when service is disconnected. Personal checks will not be accepted for service subject to disconnect as a result of nonpayment. All unpaid charges, penalties, and fees shall be a lien upon the parcel of real property to which water service was provided.
C. 
At the direction of the finance director, small claims court proceedings may begin on all accounts which remain unpaid.
(Prior code § 54.03; Ord. 00-18 § 3)
Any utility bill, including any fees and/or late charges, paid by the consumer with a check which as been returned to the city for nonsufficient funds shall be subject to a fifteen dollar ($15.00) charge. Any consumer whose check or bank debit has been returned unpaid within the past 12 months shall pay utility bills, fees and/or late charges, as authorized by this chapter, in cash or by means of a certified check, money order or credit card. Only the credit card account holder shall authorize payment by means of a credit card.
(Prior code § 54.04; Ord. 00-183 § 4; Ord. 02-197 § 1)
Any utility bill which is not fully paid by the last day of the month in which they are billed shall be subject to a 10% late charge on the unpaid utility charges. The late charge shall be added to the utility bill and shall be subject to all collection processes for unpaid utility charges, including, but not limited to, any lien process available to the city under general legal principles.
(Prior code § 54.05; Ord. 00-183 § 5; Ord. 24-460, 12/9/2024)
The city may require a developer to construct or oversize storm drain lines, pumps, lift stations or other storm drain facilities to benefit other undeveloped property. The city may, upon written request by the developer, consider the establishment of a storm drain master plan area to apportion the costs of such improvements among the properties benefited.
(Ord. 02-203 § 1)
A. 
The cost of the storm drain facilities shall be determined. The city council shall review a storm drain fee study report which describes the projects for which funding is needed. The report shall include a formula for the allocation of the storm drain costs. Based on this report, the city council shall establish, by resolution, a storm drain connection fee to be paid prior to the issuance of building permits for the construction of residential dwellings and buildings for commercial and industrial uses.
B. 
All unimproved real property benefited by such storm drain improvements shall be required, as a condition of improvement, to reimburse the developer for that portion of the cost of those improvements, which is directly attributable to the use of the improvements by such real property. Building permit shall not be issued by the building official without payment of the fee as provided in this section.
C. 
This section is not intended to, and shall not be construed or given effect in a manner that imposes upon the city or any officer or employee thereof a mandatory duty of care towards persons and property in or out of storm drain master plan area so as to provide a basis of civil liability for damages, except as otherwise imposed by law. In no event shall the city be liable for reimbursement to the original builder unless and until such reimbursement is collected from the new users. In no event shall the city be liable for failure to make such collection.
(Ord. 02-203 § 1)
The Crossroads storm drain master plan area is the area bounded by Louis Avenue, the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way and Harlan Road. The storm drain connection fee for the area in the Crossroads subdivision is $7,503.45 per gross acre. All property not in the Crossroads subdivision is considered off-site area. The storm drain connection fee for the off-site area is $4278.29 per gross acre. Building permit shall not be issued by the building official without payment of the fee as provided in this section, unless this condition is modified by a tentative map requirement for payment upon approval of the record map. The city council may amend or establish, by resolution, adjustments to this fee based on the change in the Engineering News Record Construction Index (ENR).
(Ord. 02-203 § 1)