[Adopted 2-20-2024 by Ord. No. 1539[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Art. II, Sanitary Sewer Use Charges and Regulations, adopted 4-14-1981 by Ord. No. 630, as amended 5-21-1991 by Ord. No. 885 (Ch. 90, Art. II of the 1975 Code).
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:26A-1 et seq., (the Sewerage Act), the Borough of Haddon Heights hereby created the Borough Sewer Department for purposes of acquiring, constructing, and operating sewerage facilities, including all plants, lines, pumps and equipment pertaining thereto, within the Borough. The Borough Sewer Department shall operate the sewerage facilities completed pursuant to the Sewerage Act in accordance with the Sewerage Act.
A. 
The Borough shall charge fees for sewer connection and service as established annually by ordinance of the Borough Council. Sewer connection fees shall be due and payable as and when such sewer connection(s) is applied for. Sewer service fees shall be billed annually by the Borough and shall be due and payable by May 1 of each calendar year and for the ensuing calendar year.
B. 
The owner of a property which is abandoned or becomes unoccupied for a continuous period of one year, may apply to the Borough for cancellation of the sewer account for such property and for any refund of current year sewer charges only as follows:
(1) 
The owner must notify the Borough Tax Collector in writing that the property has been unoccupied for a continuous period of one year. Such notice must include the original date of termination of occupancy and must include written proof that water service (excluding fire) has been terminated at the property for a continuous period of one year.
(2) 
Upon receipt of such notice and the required proof, the Tax Collector will cancel the sewer bill for the current year forward and will refund any payments made for the current tax year, if any. No refund for any payments for prior tax years will be given.
(3) 
If the property later is to be occupied, the property owner must pay a new sewer connection charge for each domestic consumer unit applicable to the property.
The following properties shall be exempt from the sewer service fee:
A. 
One-family detached and attached townhomes and condominium units which are occupied solely by persons who are:
(1) 
Sixty-five years old or older;
(2) 
Permanently and totally disabled as determined by the Social Security Administration; or
(3) 
The surviving spouse of the household who is over the age of 55 years; and
(4) 
Qualify for a tax deduction under N.J.S.A. 54:4-8:40 et seq.
A. 
The initial sewer connection fee charge shall be calculated annually by the Borough's financial advisor or auditor and shall be adopted in accordance with its annual fee ordinance.
B. 
The initial sewer service charge shall commence upon adoption and publication of this ordinance as required by law shall be established as $120 annually per equivalent dwelling unit. Said amount, paid annually with the billing cycle established by this chapter.