Chapter 15.40
STORM AND SURFACE RATES

Sections:

15.40.010  Purpose.

15.40.020  Definitions.

15.40.030  Charges.

15.40.040  Storm and surface water account.

15.40.050  Billing and collection.

15.40.060  Nonpayment of bills and penalties.

15.40.070  Appeals.

15.40.010 Purpose.

The city of Centralia by the passage of Ordinance No. 2136 created and established a storm and surface water utility and elected to exercise all lawful powers necessary for construction, maintenance and operation of the utility, including all powers to fix, alter, regulate and control the rates, charges and conditions for its use.

There is hereby imposed a system of rates and charges on real property within the city served by or to which is available for service the storm and surface water utility established by this chapter. The charges are found to be reasonable and necessary to fund planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and repair of existing storm and surface water facilities; provided, however, that the city reserves the right to fix, alter, regulate and control the rates and charges. (Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).

15.40.020 Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions describe the meaning of the terms used in this chapter:

A. "City" means the city of Centralia, Washington, a municipality and its authorized employees.

B. "Closed system" means a portion or type of the storm and surface water system that contains or includes piping, manholes, catch basins and/or other enclosed facilities as part of the collection or transmission facilities.

C. "Commercial" means any business or multifamily building.

D. "Commercial on-site system" means either:

1. "Retention structure" means a permanent structure that provides for the storage of runoff by means of a permanent pool of water or infiltration; or

2. "Detention structure" means a permanent structure designed to store runoff for discharge at rates approximating what would have occurred under predevelopment conditions.

E. "Commercial direct discharger" means either:

1. "City systems" means discharge to the city’s system without flow control; or

2. "Uncontrolled" means direct dischargers with no existing connection to the city’s system.

F. "Council" means the city council of the city of Centralia, Washington.

G. "Equivalent service unit (ESU)" means a configuration of development or impervious surfaces on a parcel, estimated to contribute an amount of runoff to the city’s storm and surface water drainage system which is approximately equal to that created by the average single-family residential parcel. One ESU is equal to three thousand square feet of impervious surface area.

H. "Impervious surface" means that hard surface area which either prevents or retards the entry of water into the soil mantle and/or causes water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow from that present under natural conditions. Impervious surfaces may include, but are not limited to, rooftops, concrete or asphalt paving, walkways, patios, driveways, parking lots or storage areas, and oiled, macadam, graveled, or other surfaces which similarly impede the natural infiltration or runoff of surface water.

I. "Open system" means a portion or type of the storm and surface water system that does not contain or include piping, manholes, catch basins, and/or other enclosed facilities or part of the collection or transmission facilities; and consists entirely of roadside or regional ditches, drainage canals or open channels, other than sections of culverts over driveways, roadways or other facilities that cross the storm drainage systems.

J. "Parcel" means the smallest separately segregated unit or plot of land having an identified owner, boundaries and surface area which is documented for tax purposes and given a tax account number by the Lewis County assessor.

K. "Single-family residential" means a dwelling unit for occupancy by a single family.

L. "Runoff" means the portion of precipitation either from rain or melted snow that ultimately reaches natural water courses by flowing over the surface of land.

M. "Utility" means the storm and surface water utility of the city of Centralia.

N. "Utilities director" means the utility director of the city of Centralia or his/her designee. (Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).

15.40.030 Charges.

A. The following utility charges are hereby established for all parcels of real property in the city, effective July 1, 2005.

1. Single-Family Residential. The single-family residential charge shall be six dollars per month. This uniform rate is based on each residential dwelling being equal to one equivalent service unit (ESU).

2. Parcels. Parcels with less than twenty-five hundredths ESU shall not be charged.

3. Commercial. Business and multifamily buildings shall be charged the following monthly rate based upon the number of ESUs and type of discharges.

4. Exemptions. All public rights-of-way (state and local) shall be excluded from the charges as set forth under this section. (Ord. 2156 § 1, 2005: Ord. 2153 § 1 (part), 2005: Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).

15.40.040 Storm and surface water account.

All money collected through utility rates and charges shall be deposited in a storm and surface water utility account as established and maintained by the city finance director. (Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).

15.40.050 Billing and collection.

Utility rates and charges for real property within the city shall be computed on a monthly basis consistent with the water utility billing schedule as set forth in Chapters 13.02 and 13.03 CMC. For single-family residential accounts the city will bill the responsible person as registered on the water account. If a single-family residential water account is closed, the city will send a "storm and surface water only" billing statement to the property owner. A "storm and surface water only" statement will be sent to those property owners who are not served by city water.

For commercial accounts the city will send storm and surface water billing statements to the parcel/property owner.

The storm and surface water utility billing will be continuous with the exception of modifications brought about by an increase or decrease in the impervious surface area of each account. (Ord. 2156 § 2, 2005: Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).

15.40.060 Nonpayment of bills and penalties.

Nonpayment of bills and subsequent penalties shall be as set forth in Chapters 13.02 and 13.03 CMC. (Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).

15.40.070 Appeals.

An appeal of any action of enforcement or billing as set forth in this chapter may be made to the utilities director. If the appeal is unresolved, the appeal may be made to the city manager for final determination. (Ord. 2143 § 1 (part), 2004).