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City of Rehoboth Beach, DE
Sussex County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (2) Index Notes (5)
[Adopted 12-11-1987 by Ord. No. 1278-1]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CITY WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
The wastewater treatment plant and facilities associated therewith, including force mains, pump stations and collection lines.
EDU
Equivalent dwelling unit. An EDU is 350 GPD.
FU
Fixture unit.
GPD
Gallons per day.
B. 
Whenever, by ordinance or by contract, the City imposes or assesses sewer charges or fees on the basis of EDU's, an EDU shall be determined as follows. Wherever in this section "minimum/building" appears, it means that the building will be assessed a minimum of one EDU, even if the formula works out to less than one. If the formula works out to more than one, fractional EDU's will be used.
(1) 
House or dwelling with one kitchen and one or more baths and bedroom(s) separate from kitchen: 1.0 EDU.
(2) 
Dwelling with one kitchen and one or more baths and bedroom(s) separate from kitchen and attached to other dwellings or structures: 1.0 EDU.
(3) 
Mobile home with one kitchen and one or more baths and bedroom(s) separate from kitchen: 1.0 EDU.
(4) 
Apartment with one kitchen and one or more baths and bedroom(s) separate from kitchen: 1.0 EDU.
(5) 
Efficiency unit or a cottage having a living space in one room and having one bath: 1.0 EDU.
(6) 
Motel, inn or hotel room:
(a) 
If the structure has no laundry facilities, each room: 0.50 EDU.
(b) 
If the structure has laundry facilities, each room: 0.75 EDU.
(c) 
If the structure has a kitchen which serves more meals per day than breakfast, the structure shall be subject to an additional assessment as a restaurant.
(7) 
Gas station with one service bay: 2.0 EDU.
(8) 
Each additional gas station service bay in excess of one: 1.0 EDU.
(9) 
Retail store: for each square foot of space, 0.10 GPD will be imputed (350 GPD = 1 EDU) (for example, a retail store with 3,500 square feet will be assessed at 350 GPD or one EDU); 1.0 EDU minimum/building.
(10) 
Laundromat: 350 GPD will be imputed per washer (350 GPD = EDU); 1.0 EDU minimum/building.
(11) 
Office units: 0.3 GPD will be imputed to each square foot of space (350 GPD = 1 EDU); 1.0 EDU minimum/building.
(12) 
Establishments listed below, Subsection B(12)(a) through (f), shall be assigned EDU's as multiples of a basic dwelling house having an assignment of one EDU. A basic dwelling house shall be considered as:
Type of Fixture
Number of FU's
1 sink
2
1 toilet
2
1 lavatory
1
1 bath or shower
1
One EDU shall be equal to six FU's. For assessment purposes, FU's shall be assigned as follows:
Type of Fixture
Number of FU's
Sink
2
Washstand or lavatory
1
Toilet
2
Bath and shower
1
Mop sink or service sink
1
Flush urinal
1
Continuous flush urinal
3
Convenience outlet
1
Domestic dishwasher
1
Commercial dishwasher
3
Drinking fountain
1
Garbage disposal
1
Washing machine
1
A minimum of one EDU, plus additional EDU's based on FU's in excess of six, will be assigned to the following:
(a) 
Churches and attached facilities and buildings.
(b) 
Fire stations.
(c) 
Convention halls and public gathering places.
(d) 
Municipal buildings.
(e) 
Bus stations and other public depots.
(f) 
Marinas with sanitary facilities for employees only.
(13) 
Establishments listed below, Subsection B(13)(a) through (g), shall be assigned EDU's as a fixed number of EDU's, plus a number of EDU's based on the number of FU's:
(a) 
Drive-in food service: 1 EDU + FU/6 EDU(s).
(b) 
Delicatessen, including takeout: 1 EDU + FU/6 EDU(s).
(c) 
Bars and lounges with no food service: 1 EDU per 150 seats + FU/6 EDU(s).
(d) 
Restaurants and eating places, including combination eat-in and takeout and eating places with bar(s): 1 EDU per 50 seats + FU/6 EDU(s).
(e) 
Gas station with no service bay: FU/6 (1 EDU minimum).
(f) 
Marina without boat waste pumping facilities: 1 EDU per 200 boat slips + FU/6 EDU(s). (As an example, if a marina has 400 boat slips and three fixture units, it is assessed 2 1/2 EDU's.)
(g) 
Marina with boat waste pumping facilities: 1 EDU per 100 boat slips + FU/6 EDU(s).
C. 
EDU's shall be assigned to establishments not covered in Subsection B(1) through (13) above to assure that each establishment, in the opinion of the City, is given a reasonable assignment of EDU's, compatible with its use of the City wastewater treatment system.
D. 
If an establishment does not have any physical facilities which have a load-producing effect on the City wastewater treatment system, then the number of EDU's assigned to it shall be zero.
Charges to North Shores users of the City wastewater treatment system pursuant to contract dated June 17, 1982, between the City and North Shores Board of Governors shall be calculated each year to reimburse the City for the costs of providing the service, plus overrides and reserves as provided in said agreement. Such sewage charges will be based on EDU's as defined herein and will be billed quarterly.
A. 
It is hereby determined that new users to be connected to the City wastewater treatment system will cause a reduction in presently existing excess capacity and will eventually contribute to the need to expand the City wastewater treatment system. Such new users should equitably reimburse the system for prior payments of principal and interest and other items of debt service paid to provide the excess capacity and should also contribute capital to be used for the next expansion of the City wastewater treatment system. The City's engineers have prepared an analysis of possible methods of establishing sewer impact fees for new users, a copy of which is on file with the City. It is in the best interest of the City and users of the City wastewater treatment system to establish an impact fee.
B. 
Every new user to be connected to the City wastewater treatment system (except as otherwise provided in Subsection C herein), whether within the City's boundaries or outside the City's boundaries, and receiving service through contract directly with the City (including North Shores) shall, upon receiving a building permit which contemplates a connection to the City wastewater treatment system, also receive a permit to connect to the City wastewater treatment system and shall at that time pay an impact fee based on the amount of EDU's to be generated by such new user.
(1) 
The purpose of the impact fee and the standard by which its amount is determined is to recover a pro rata share of debt service on bonds issued for the construction of the City wastewater treatment plant and related facilities which have just been put into operation by the City and paid for to date by existing users of the system and also as a contribution of capital toward the future expansion of the City wastewater treatment system. The impact fee shall be adjusted from time to time to reflect changing costs, and it shall be in addition to all other charges and assessments made in connection with the furnishing of sewage service to the users of the City sewer system.
(2) 
The initial sewer impact fee for new users is hereby established at $2,346 per EDU; of this amount, $218 consists of the pro rata share of debt service previously paid for the bonds mentioned above, and $2,128 represents the contribution of capital towards the future expansion of the City wastewater treatment system, which later amount shall be kept in a separate, interest-earning expansion account and shall be used only for costs associated with the future expansion of the City wastewater treatment system.
C. 
The sewer impact fee will not be charged to owners of parcels in North Shores for structures existing on such parcels as of the date of this article ready to connect to the system but which have been unable to connect due to the sewer moratorium which expires December 11, 1987. The sewer impact fee will not be charged to owners of parcels in the City limits who, at the date of this article, have a valid City building permit or an application for a City building permit filed with the City and who also have the necessary EDU's under the sewer moratorium policy in effect prior to December 11, 1987, to connect to the City wastewater treatment system. The impact fee will be charged to any property owner in the City who has a building permit or who has constructed a structure or structures pursuant to such building permit at the date of this article but who has not connected to the system because of a lack of the necessary EDU's under the City's sewer moratorium policy in effect prior to December 11, 1987.
D. 
Any person who connects to the City wastewater treatment system after the date of this article will be credited with any EDU's existing on the property. As an example, if a house with an EDU is demolished and a structure with 50 EDU's is put in its place, the owner shall pay a sewer impact fee based on 49 EDU's. No EDU's shall be transferred from one property to another property, whether or not such properties are owned by the same person.
E. 
If a building permit issued by the City is revoked or lapses, the permit to connect to the City wastewater treatment system shall immediately terminate and be of no further force and effect. The sewer impact fee paid by the owner shall, in such event, be refunded without interest.