As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
CITY
The City of Isanti or its officers or employees authorized
to perform the functions to which there is reference in the chapter.
COMMERCIAL MALL
A group of attached buildings, or a single building, containing
a series of separate stores, offices, or establishments, that are
engaged in retail, service, or similar occupations. Such "commercial
malls" may also be known as "mini-malls," "strip malls," "shopping
centers," "discount centers," or similar titles.
IRRIGATION
The watering of shrubs, trees, sod and seeded areas.
NORMAL STRENGTH SEWAGE WASTE
Wastewater that is primarily introduced by residential users
with a BOD concentration not greater than 220 mg/l, a total suspended
solids (TSS) concentration not greater than 240 mg/l, ammonia concentration
not greater than 25 mg/l, and total phosphorus concentration not greater
than eight mg/l.
NOTICE
A notice in writing directed to the owner, tenant or other
person affected for the time specified by the chapter, stating briefly
the condition that is the reason for the notice, and the consequences
that will result upon failure to comply with the terms of the notice.
A notice shall be deemed given when either it is personally served
on the person to whom it is directed to or mailed to them at their
last known address. If the owner, tenant or other person cannot be
reached by mail service, service may be made upon the occupant of
the building or premises. Notification may also be made by posting
the notice on the front door of the building.
OWNER
The person, company, corporation or their authorized agent
that owns a building or premises.
PREMISES
A platted lot or part thereof or unplatted parcel of land,
either occupied or unoccupied and/or any building or structure on
the property.
RESIDENTIAL EQUIVALENT CONNECTION (REC)
A unit of measure for water impact fees and for sanitary
sewer impact fees equivalent, respectively, to the amount of water
capacity needed to supply one residential dwelling unit for consumption
purposes, and such water capacity needed to service one residential
dwelling unit as to wastewater.
[Added 12-6-2022 by Ord.
No. 779]
SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
A charge for construction of a public sanitary sewer system or public water supply system improvements pursuant to City Code Chapter
276, or a charge for any repair performed by the City, or any fees and usage charges which, pursuant to state law, are certified to the county for collection with property taxes.
VALVE BOX
Curb stop or shutoff valve installed on the water service
line that controls the flow of water from the public water supply
system to the building or premises.
Sanitary sewer and water utilities service charges are fees
collected from all system users and those who have reasonable access
to the public sanitary sewer and water supply systems (sanitary sewer
and water utilities). The City Council has determined that in order
to pay for the cost of construction, reconstruction, repair, enlargement,
improvement, maintenance, operation and use of the City's sanitary
sewer and water utilities; the cost of new state and federal regulations;
principal and interest due on obligations issued or to be issued therefor;
it is necessary to impose the following just and equitable charges
for the use and availability of the sanitary sewer and water utilities
service. Fees, as authorized by Minn. Stat. § 444.075, for
connection to and usage of the sanitary sewer and water utilities
system are set based on the financial needs of the sanitary sewer
utility and water utility.
Sanitary sewer and water rate tables have been prepared to provide
annual rates for sanitary sewer and water accessibility charges, base
fees and usage rates, and are attached as a part of this chapter. Accessibility charge rates, base fees and sewer rates
shall be adjusted periodically, as per the rate table. New charges
are applicable beginning on the date of the first meter reading in
the month that rates are adjusted.
Sanitary sewer rates for users with normal strength sewage waste
(NSSW) are listed in the Sewer Rate Table. Users are charged base fee(s) and usage charges (per gallon).
Water rates for users are listed in the Water Rate Table.
A. Base fees are charged as follows:
(1) Single-family dwellings are charged one base fee per unit.
(2) Apartment units are charged 80% of the base fee charge per unit.
(3) Commercial and industrial structures shall be charged base fees per
account based on water consumption. The base fee rate and base fee
charges shall be set in the Commercial Base Fee Consumption Schedule
of the Sanitary Sewer and Water Rate Table.
(4) Irrigation meters, when used in conjunction with residential, commercial
or industrial uses, are not subject to base fee charges.
B. Usage charge. Upon connection of any building or premises to the
public sanitary sewer system and/or water system, the owner shall
pay for sewage and water based on water used each month at rates listed
in the Sewer Rate Table and Water Rate Table.
C. Sewer charge options - residential accounts. For the purpose of calculating
the sewer usage charge, new residential accounts are billed a minimum
of 3,500 gallons per month and charged according to the winter average
method. This is calculated by taking the average of water used in
the months of January, February and March of each year to get average
monthly sewage use. Winter averages are updated annually on the April
billing statement. The account holder has the option of electing billing
based on actual water usage (gallon per gallon). The election to change
sewer charge options shall be made by November 1 for the following
year. If the option is to change back to the winter average method,
a minimum usage of 3,500 gallons per month will be used until the
average is calculated. Election to change calculation of sewer charges
may be done annually. For any month during the averaging period that
a property is vacant, that account shall be assigned a minimum usage
of 3,500 gallons. In no case will the sewer charge exceed the actual
metered water usage.
D. Sewer - commercial accounts. Commercial customers are charged for
sewer usage based upon their monthly water usage. If an irrigation
system is in place, the owner, at their own expense, may have a separate
meter installed for the irrigation system. Only the water usage rate
applies to the irrigation meter.
E. Industrial charges. Sanitary sewer base fees, usage rates, or other
fees for industrial users with waste flows in excess of normal strength
sewage waste shall be set by special agreement and are calculated
based upon their impact on the sewer plant's capacity and treatment
system (BOD, TSS, phosphorus, ammonia, etc.) as outlined in their
discharge permit.
F. Accessibility charge. The accessibility charge for connection of
a building or premises to the sanitary sewer system or water system
is listed in the Sewer Rate Table as the SAC fee (sewer accessibility
charge) and the Water Rate Table as the WAC fee (water accessibility
charge). The accessibility charge for a single-family dwelling
or equivalent shall be 100% of the full connection charge for each
unit.
G. Residential equivalent connection (REC). REC units will be established
by the City Council and be calculated as follows:
[Amended 12-6-2022 by Ord. No. 779]
(1) Single-family houses and duplex: 1.0 unit per SAC and WAC.
(2) Condominium and townhomes: 1.0 unit per SAC and WAC.
(3) Apartments: see REC Table per SAC and WAC.
(4) Commercial and industrial: see REC Table per SAC and WAC.
For REC Table see Chapter
262, Attachment 3. One SAC is based on 274 gallons per day of daily flow.
H. Payment
for SAC/WAC REC Table uses. Such building permit applicants may be
approved to submit the SAC/WAC payment in equal installments, not
to exceed six months from time of approved building permit, subject
to the City Administrator, or designee's, approval. All fees
must be paid prior to a temporary certificate of occupancy (CO) or
CO being issued.
[Added 12-6-2022 by Ord. No. 779]
I. Trunk utility charges. Trunk utility charges have been established
for new subdivided areas of the City that did not pay for the original
sanitary sewer system and water system.