13.16.070 System of rates and charges.
A. Service Fees Imposed. The city will impose stormwater water fee rates and charges on each parcel of real property within the city except government-owned streets. The charges fund the administration, planning, design, construction, water quality programming, operation, maintenance, and repair of existing and future stormwater facilities.
B. Methods of Determining Contribution of Stormwater.
1. Contributions of stormwater from nonresidential parcels and residential parcels larger than duplexes have been ascertained through aerial photography by evaluating land surface and measuring the amount of impervious surface.
2. Contributions of stormwater from residential parcels have been established by estimating residential impervious areas.
C. Method of Determining Service Fee Rates. Stormwater service fees are applied to each parcel of real property within the city (including city-owned properties) except government-owned streets. Service fees are differentiated according to the following classifications:
1. Residential Parcels. Single-family residential and duplex parcels constitute one ERU.
2. Undeveloped Parcels. Undeveloped parcels have no charges applied.
3. Other Parcels. Charges for all other parcels are computed by multiplying the total ERUs for a parcel by the monthly rate. Total ERUs are calculated by dividing total square feet of impervious surface by three thousand square feet (one ERU).
4. Credit for On-Site Mitigation. A service charge credit is available for those nonsingle-family residential parcel customers that exceed the city’s stormwater development standards or reduce the city’s downstream costs in providing stormwater capacity; provided, that if the city’s standards are increased in the future, then only those customers who currently exceed the existing standards will continue to be eligible for a service charge credit. If a request for mitigation credit is granted, the credit will be applied to all charges from the time of the credit request being accepted by the city and will be reflected on the next billing within thirty days after appeal is granted.
5. Types of Stormwater Control Facilities. Stormwater control facilities located on a parcel may either hold runoff for a period of time and release it at a controlled rate to the stormwater water system (detention) or hold water until it evaporates or infiltrates into the ground (retention).
6. Source or Treatment Control Credits. Credit for improving quality of stormwater runoff will be based on implementation of source or treatment controls which reduce or eliminate pollutants from its stormwater runoff before it enters the city’s stormwater system.
7. Application for Service Charge Credit. Customers who believe their site conditions warrant a service charge credit may apply for a credit by requesting an application package from the city engineer. No credit may exceed a forty-five percent reduction of the original service charge amount. (Ord. 2021-20 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6/15/2004O-23 § 1 (part))