From and after the effective date of this article,
there shall be charged the hereinafter enumerated fees for each equivalent
dwelling unit (EDU) as hereinafter determined whenever the owner of
any property or his or her designated agent, connects such property
with the Borough's sanitary sewer systems, or whenever said owner
adds to or modifies property then already connected to one or both
systems in such a manner as to increase the EDUs as hereinafter determined.
The enumerated fees shall include:
A. Connection fee. A charge to reimburse the Borough
for the cost of the sewer or waterline between the main in the street
and the property line. This cost shall be based upon actual cost or
average cost of previous similar connections. This fee shall include
all road openings and restoration, as well as permit fees and engineering
fees in connection therewith.
(1) Prior to any work schedule being set for a new connection,
or connections, to either the Borough's water or sewer systems, or
both, the property owner or his designated agent shall:
(a)
Complete a written application requesting connection,
or connections, on forms supplied by the Borough.
(b)
Read and execute an agreement with the Borough
on forms supplied by Borough agreeing to pay to Borough all actual
costs related to said connection or connections.
(c)
Pay in advance for water and sewer connections
the following charge for each equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) as hereinafter
defined.
[1]
A fee as set from time to time by resolution
of the Borough Council per EDU as hereinafter defined for each new
water service connection or for an addition to or modification of
a property then connected to the water system so as to increase the
equivalent dwelling units as hereinafter defined.
[2]
A fee as set from time to time by resolution
of the Borough Council per EDU as hereinafter defined for each new
sewer service connection or for an addition to or modification of
a property then connected to the sewer system so as to increase the
equivalent dwelling units as hereinafter defined.
(2) The advance payments referred to in Subsection
A(1)(c) above shall in no instance be construed as being full payment. Property owner, or his designated agent, shall be responsible for all actual costs related to affect water or sewer connections, or both, between Borough mains and the established curbline of said property.
(3) The property owner, or his designated agent, shall
receive a final cost bill to be computed from the particular job sheet
as filed by the Borough's Sewer or Water Department, a copy of which
will be noted in the final cost bill.
(4) In the event that the balance due the Borough is not
paid in full within 15 days of the date of said final cost bill, said
services may be made ineffective by either shutting off the water
supply and/or physically disconnecting the sewer service. In either
event, these additional costs plus 10%, shall be added to an adjusted
final cost bill, which must be paid in full before restoration of
services.
(5) It is the purpose of these aforementioned and required
connection fees to insure the Borough of receiving full actual costs
of reserves the right, in certain circumstances, to adjust or waive
said required connection fees where the imposition of same would not
be warranted. For example, if a property owner has entered a construction
agreement with the Borough to develop a tract of land and is undertaking
the construction of an on-site water or sewer collection system, or
both, at his own expense, then there may be no need for connection
fees as hereinbefore set forth since there would be no actual costs
to the Borough.
B. Customer facilities fee. A charge to reimburse the Borough for the cost of line or service, or both, for the cost of facilities servicing the connected property from the property line or curb stop to the proposed dwelling or building to be served. Charge shall be based on actual costs incurred. The Borough may require the owner to install these facilities in lieu of this fee. Fee shall include the cost of providing a water meter or meters. Billing procedure shall be the same as for connection fees in Subsection
A above.
C. Tapping fee. A charge which includes the following
components: capacity, distribution and collections, special purpose
and reimbursement, to be charged for use of the sanitary sewer and
water systems of the Borough that shall be in addition to any charges
assessed against the property in the construction of sewer and water
mains, as well as other user charges or rates charged for rental and
use of the water and or sanitary sewer system itself.
(1) The tapping fee for sanitary sewer service shall be
a fee as set by resolution of the Borough Council per EDU as hereinafter
defined.
[Amended 11-8-2007]
(2) The tapping fee for water service shall be a fee as
set by resolution of the Borough Council per EDU as hereinafter defined.
(3) The aforementioned tapping fees, as well as any fees
set forth in this article, may be altered, or changed, by Borough
Council from time to time as circumstances may warrant by appropriate
resolution of Council.
(4) The aforestated tapping fees are determined and established
by studies done by the Borough Engineer, Cowan Associates, Inc., entitled
Sanitary Sewer Collection System Tapping Fee Report, September 9,
1993. Copies of said reports detailing itemization of all calculations
showing the manner in which the fees were determined are available
for public inspection at the Borough Hall.
(5) Said tapping fees shall be payable at the time of
application for connection to the systems or at such other time as
the property owner and Borough may otherwise agree in writing.
This article and its provisions shall become
effective immediately upon its adoption and enactment and shall be
applicable to all properties which thereafter apply for either sewerage
or water service, or both, from the Borough.
If any of the provisions, sections, sentences,
clauses or parts of this article or the application of any provision
hereof shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect or
impair any of the Borough that such remainder shall be and remain
in full force and effect. The charges required and imposed under this
article are in addition to any sewer or water rental rates or other
charges or fees required by other pending and effective ordinances
of the Borough of Jim Thorpe; any ordinances or resolutions of the
Borough inconsistent with the provisions of this article are hereby
repealed and of no effect.