[Adopted 8-20-1951 by Ord. No. 240 (Ch. 70, Art. III, Part 4, of the 1971 Code)]
[Amended 1-12-1959 by Ord. No. 325; 6-10-1968 by Ord. No. 416; 12-8-1969 by Ord. No. 450]
All owners of property who may hereafter connect with newly constructed sewer lines of the sewer system in the Borough of Columbia, for which no connection charge has previously been paid, shall pay a connection charge as set from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.
[Amended 9-17-1968 by Ord. No. 427]
A. 
If any owner or owners against which such connection charge shall have been made refuse or neglect to pay such connection charge within 90 days after service thereof shall have been made, upon the owner or owners of such properties, either personally or by leaving the connection charge bill with an adult member of the family with whom the said owner or owners reside, or if the owner or owners of such properties have no residence, or cannot be found in the Borough, then the connection charge bill shall be posted upon the property or a copy thereof left with the occupant thereof, if there be one, and shall further be mailed by registered United States Mail to the owner or owners or his or their agent or attorney at his or their last known address, then the Borough shall forthwith cause to be filed a municipal claim or lien therefor, together with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of such connection charge bill. The Secretary/Treasurer of the Borough shall certify to the Borough Solicitor all such unpaid connection charges and the Borough Solicitor shall so file municipal claims therefor in the proper office of Lancaster County, as provided by law, against the property or properties upon which such connection charges shall have been made. The Borough Solicitor shall thereupon proceed to collect the same under the general law relating to the collection of municipal claims, including, if so directed by the Borough, the filing of suits in assumpsit, unless the owner of owners shall have been granted the privilege of paying such connection charge or connection charges in installments and is currently not in default in such installment payments. All such municipal claims shall be filed not later than the last day permitted by law for the filing of such municipal claims. The certificate of the consulting engineers, filed with the Borough shall be conclusive of the time of the completion.
B. 
Any owner or owners of property against whom and which connection charges have been made as above provided shall have the privilege, upon written request in the form prepared by the Borough filed with the Secretary/Treasurer of the Borough within 30 days after service of the connection charge bill has been made and upon payment of not less than 1/5 of the amount of the connection charge against the property of such owner or owners, of paying the balance of said connection charge in equal semiannual installments within the next following four years and the said unpaid installments shall bear interest at the rate of 6% from the date of such connection charge bill: provided, however, that the granting of such privilege of paying the connection charge in installments shall not relieve the Borough of the duty of filing a lien or municipal claim for every connection charge not paid in full within 90 days of such service of the connection charge bill.
C. 
In case of default of any owner in the payment of an installment and interest as aforesaid for a period of 60 days after the same shall become due, the entire balance of the connection charge and accrued interest plus a penalty of 5%, on such balance, shall become due and payable; and it shall be the duty of the Borough Secretary/Treasurer when any such default shall occur, to notify the Borough Solicitor thereof promptly, and the Borough Solicitor shall thereupon proceed to collect the same under the general law relating to the collection of municipal claims, including, if so directed by the Borough, the filing of suits in assumpsit.
D. 
Any such owner who has been granted the privilege of paying such connection charge in installments, may pay the balance remaining due in full at any time with interest thereon to the next semiannual payment date plus the costs of filing and satisfying the lien, and such payment shall discharge the lien or claim against such owner.
Where any property shall be situate at the intersection of or adjacent to or adjoining more than one street, alley, lane or other public highway containing a sewer line to which an individual connection can be made, the owner or owners of such property shall pay a connection charge for the full frontage of the longest side adjacent to such street, alley, lane or public highway and shall pay no charge for any other frontage.
[Added 10-14-1968 by Ord. No. 428]
A. 
Where an individual, builder, or developer desires to install sewer lines, service laterals, and service lines to a house or to every housing unit within a development, prior to their use or sale, or prior to the construction of a sewer system by the Authority, he may do so after having made proper written application and meeting all the conditions of these rules and regulations. Plot plans of the development showing the preliminary layout of sewer lines must be submitted to the Authority for approval prior to construction of sewers. Sewer plans conforming to the standards of the Authority and meeting all the specifications established by the Authority shall be submitted to and approved by the Authority's engineer prior to the issuance of a permit. The individual builder or developer may request the Authority to provide the plans and detailed design of the sewer system for the extensions including all approvals from the necessary state agencies. The cost of the preparation of the plans and specifications and all other fees, including legal and administrative expenses, shall be paid by the individual builder or developer. The estimated cost of engineering and other fees must be deposited with the Authority before the design will be undertaken.
B. 
As an alternate to the above, the individual, builder or developer may secure the design of the extensions directly from any professional engineer qualified and competent in the field of sanitary engineering design. In such case, the preliminary plans and detailed design must conform to the standard design of the Authority. The completed plans, conforming to the standards of the Authority, shall be submitted to the Authority's engineer for approval. Any revisions in the design considered necessary, in the opinion of the Authority's engineer, shall be made and approved prior to the construction of the system. The builder shall secure in the name of the Authority all necessary approvals from any state or other agencies having control over the system. An amount equal to the estimated cost of any necessary legal fees and inspection fees shall be deposited with the Authority prior to construction. All extensions shall be constructed by and at the expense of the individual, builder, or developer under the supervision and inspection of the Authority. The cost of such supervision and inspection shall be borne by the individual, builder, or the developer making the extension. The cost of the inspection will be deducted from the amount deposited by the builder or developer with the Authority. All costs in excess of the estimates must be paid by the builder before final approval of the facilities. Any balances remaining after final approval by the Authority will be refunded to the builder or developer. The ownership of the extensions shall be vested with the builder or the developer until such time as the sewer system of the Authority has been fully and finally completed. At that time a final inspection will be made by the Authority, and if the extensions are found to conform with the previous inspection made by the Authority, the individual, builder or developer shall convey the extension, free of encumbrances, to the Authority. When the extension has been accepted by the Authority, all connections shall be made in accordance with these rules and regulations, including all the necessary inspection of house connections, securing of permits and other pertinent requirements. No front foot assessments shall be levied for properties within the development, fronting or abutting this extension.