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Queen Annes County, MD
 
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Minutes (2621)
This Article XI of this Part 2 applies only to County owned and operated water systems within the Kent Narrows/ Stevensville/ Grasonville Water Subdistrict and the Chesapeake Bay Business Park Water Subdistrict.
A. 
Division into user classes. Properties abutting on a street, road, lane, alley, or right-of-way in which a water distribution line is to be laid in a subdistrict shall be classified as follows:
(1) 
Multifamily or attached;
(2) 
Single-family detached; and
(3) 
Industrial or business.
B. 
Fixing and levying benefit assessment. The Sanitary Commission shall fix and levy benefit assessments on all properties in each subdistrict in accordance with the classification or subdivision of a classification.
C. 
Notice.
(1) 
The Sanitary Commission shall notify in writing all owners of the properties of:
(a) 
The class into which their property falls;
(b) 
The charge determined; and
(c) 
A time and place when and where the owner may be heard.
(2) 
The Sanitary Commission shall:
(a) 
Mail the notice by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the owner;
(b) 
Serve the notice in person on any adult occupying the premises; or
(c) 
In the case of vacant or unimproved property, post the notice on the premises.
A. 
Debt service charge. To pay the principal of and interest on indebtedness incurred by the County to finance the planning, design, and construction of distribution systems, the Sanitary Commission shall assess a debt service charge on each property in a subdistrict abutting on a street, road, lane, alley, or right-of-way in which a water distribution line has been built, whether improved or unimproved.
B. 
Basis for charge. The debt service charge shall be based on the front footage of the property.
C. 
Minimum footage. The minimum footage to be assessed any single lot or parcel is 60 feet.
D. 
Irregularly shaped lots or parcels.
(1) 
In the case of any unsubdivided, irregularly shaped lot or parcel abutting on a road, street, lane, alley, or right-of-way in which there is or is being constructed a water distribution line at any point, the lot or parcel shall be assessed for the front footage that the Director may determine to be reasonable and fair.
(2) 
Any two property lines with a deflection angle of less than 50 degrees shall be considered as a single property line.
(3) 
For circular property lines, assessment may be based on a chord length.
(4) 
Typically, irregular lots shall be assessed based upon the total front footage divided by the number of property sides fronted.
E. 
Collection of assessment.
(1) 
The first payment shall be collected during the fiscal year in which:
(a) 
Construction of the water system is completed; or
(b) 
The system is purchased or acquired.
(2) 
Bills for benefit assessments may be sent monthly or quarterly, as the Sanitary Commission may prescribe by resolution.
F. 
Industrial or business classification. All lots and parcels in the industrial or business classification shall be assessed their full front footage even though a water distribution line may not extend along the full length of any boundary.
G. 
Agricultural classification.
(1) 
Land classified as agricultural may not be assessed a front-footage benefit until the water connection is made.
(2) 
For every connection, agricultural land shall become liable to a front-footage benefit assessment for a reasonable footage not exceeding 300 feet.
A. 
Debt service charge. To pay the principal and interest on indebtedness incurred by the County to finance the planning, design, and construction of water storage facilities, water treatment facilities, and water supply systems, the Sanitary Commission shall assess a debt service charge on each property in a subdistrict abutting on a street, road, lane, alley, or right-of-way in which a water distribution line has been built, whether improved or unimproved.
B. 
Basis for charge. The debt service charge for a property shall be based on the Director's measurement or estimate of the volume of the water flow to that property.
C. 
Minimum debt service charge.
(1) 
The Sanitary Commission shall, by resolution, prescribe a minimum flow volume and flow characteristic debt service charge for each user class.
(2) 
Notwithstanding Subsection C(1) of this section, the Sanitary Commission may not assess land classified as agricultural until the water connection is made.
(3) 
The Sanitary Commission may prescribe that the minimum charge for a property classified as industrial or business and occupied solely by a single dwelling unit, shall be the equivalent charge for a single dwelling unit in the single-family detached classification.
D. 
Collection of assessment.
(1) 
The first payment shall be collected during the fiscal year in which:
(a) 
Construction of the water system is completed; or
(b) 
The system is purchased or acquired.
(2) 
Bills for benefit assessments may be sent monthly or quarterly as the Sanitary Commission may prescribe by resolution.
A. 
Assessment of user charge. To provide funds for operating, maintaining, repairing, and administering a water system and to provide funds for an operating/replacement reserve, the Sanitary Commission shall assess a user charge on each property in a subdistrict benefited by the system.
B. 
Basis for user charge. The user charge shall be based on the actual or estimated water usage.
C. 
Minimum user charge.
(1) 
The Sanitary Commission may, by resolution, prescribe a minimum flow volume user charge for each user class.
(2) 
Notwithstanding Subsection C(1) of this section, the Sanitary Commission may not assess land classified as agricultural until the water connection is made.
(3) 
The Sanitary Commission may prescribe that the minimum charge for a property classified as industrial or business and occupied solely by a single dwelling unit, shall be the equivalent charge for a single dwelling unit in the single-family detached classification.
D. 
Collection of user charges.
(1) 
The first payment shall be collected during the fiscal year in which:
(a) 
Construction of the water system is completed; or
(b) 
The system is purchased or acquired.
(2) 
Bills for the user charges may be sent monthly or quarterly, as the Sanitary Commission may prescribe by resolution.
A. 
Assessing connection charge. To provide funds for extending, enlarging, expanding, upgrading and modifying a water system, the Sanitary Commission shall assess a connection charge:
(1) 
On each new connection; or
(2) 
In the case of new subdivisions, on each new lot in a subdistrict.
B. 
Charge for single dwelling unit in industrial or business classification. The Sanitary Commission may prescribe that the connection charge for a property classified as industrial or business and occupied solely by a single dwelling unit shall be the equivalent charge for a single dwelling unit in the single-family detached classification.
C. 
Collection of connection charges. Connection charges shall be collected:
(1) 
For existing lots, at the time of connection; and
(2) 
For new lots, before final approval of a subdivision of property.
D. 
Not exempted from debt service charges; exception.
(1) 
Payment of a connection charge does not exempt a property from the debt service charges prescribed in § 24-66 of this Part 2 for a subdistrict.
(2) 
Notwithstanding Subsection D(1) of this section, if a Public Works Agreement provides other funding arrangements for the construction of new facilities, the property may be exempted from the normal debt service charges for a subdistrict as provided in the public works agreement.