Chapter 13.28
SEWER SYSTEM RULES AND REGULATIONS
Sections:
13.28.010 Authority and purpose.
13.28.020 Definitions.
13.28.030 Appointment of sewer department personnel.
13.28.040 Powers and authority of superintendent, inspectors and assistants.
13.28.050 Permit – Fees.
13.28.060 Permit – Display.
13.28.070 Permit – Time limit.
13.28.080 Depositing excrement, garbage and waste on property prohibited.
13.28.090 Privies and cesspools prohibited.
13.28.100 Public sanitary sewer hook-up requirements and exceptions.
13.28.105 Temporary on-site sewage storage tanks.
13.28.110 Health or safety hazard – Connection required – Disinfection.
13.28.120 Cesspools and sumps – When permitted.
13.28.130 Refusal to connect – Connection by city – Cost assessment – Lien.
13.28.140 Repair of obstructed or broken sewers.
13.28.150 Storm water and other waters – Discharge into sanitary sewer prohibited.
13.28.160 Storm water and other unpolluted drainage – Use of storm sewer or natural outlet required.
13.28.170 Prohibited discharges.
13.28.180 Repealed.
13.28.190 Repealed.
13.28.200 Repealed.
13.28.210 Discharge of certain waters or wastes – Approval – Preliminary treatment.
13.28.220 Preliminary treatment facilities – Maintenance.
13.28.230 Fees for inspection.
13.28.240 Damaging sewers prohibited.
13.28.250 Planting certain trees and shrubs prohibited – Removal.
13.28.260 Repealed.
13.28.270 Violation – Penalty.
13.28.010 Authority and purpose.
This chapter shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the state, and of the city and is deemed expedient to maintain the peace, good government and welfare of the city and its trade, commerce, and manufactures, and to ensure greater protection to life and health and all of its provisions shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of such purposes. (Ord. 209 § 1, 1974).
13.28.020 Definitions.
Unless the content specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this chapter shall be as follows:
A. “As builts” means the detailed sketch or drawing of the building sewer or disposal system as constructed.
B. “BOD” (denoting biochemical oxygZPen demand) means the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20 degrees Centigrade, expressed in parts per million by weight.
C. “Building drain” means that part of the lowest horizontal piping of the drainage system which received the discharge from soil, wastes, and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer beginning two feet outside the wall.
D. “Combined sewer” means a sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.
E. “Garbage” means solid wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
F. “Industrial wastes” means the liquid wastes from industrial processes as distinct from sanitary sewage.
G. “May” is permissive.
H. “Natural outlet” means any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake, or other body of surface or ground water.
I. “pH” means the logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.
J. “Properly shredded garbage” means the wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food that have been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particles greater than one-half inch in any direction.
K. “Public sanitary sewer” means a sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights, and which is controlled by public authority.
L. “Sanitary sewer” means a sewer which carries sewage and to which storm, surface, and ground water are not intentionally admitted.
M. Repealed by Ords. 1087, 1107 and 1185.
N. “Sewage treatment plant” means any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.
O. “Sewage works” means all facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.
P. “Sewer” means a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
Q. “Shall” is mandatory.
R. “Storm sewer” and “storm drain” mean a sewer which carries storm and surface waters and drainage, but excludes sewage and polluted water.
S. “Superintendent” means the person designated from time to time in accordance with personnel policies of the city, or his authorized deputy, agent, or representative.
T. “Suspended solids” means solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
U. “Watercourse” means a channel in which a flow of water occurs either continuously or intermittently. (Ord. 1185 § 1, 2010; Ord. 1107 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1087 § 1, 2007; Ord. 209 § 2, 1974).
13.28.030 Appointment of sewer department personnel.
All personnel of the sewer department shall be appointed in accordance with personnel policies of the city. (Ord. 209 § 3, 1974).
13.28.040 Powers and authority of superintendent, inspectors and assistants.
The superintendent and other duly authorized employees of the city bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter upon all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurements, sampling, and testing in accordance with provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 209 § 4, 1974).
13.28.050 Permit – Fees.
The fee for each permit to connect with any public sewer or to construct, extend, relay, repair, or make connections with a lateral or private sewer inside of property line is fixed at $25.00 inside the city and $37.50 outside of the city. Said fee shall be paid to the city treasurer who shall issue a receipt therefor, and such receipt must be filed with the superintendent before the permit is issued. The permit fee for a side sewer permit shall be $125.00 and shall require a street excavation permit. Permits for the extension of public sanitary sewers shall be required separately from permits for building sewers and side sewers. There shall be no charge for a permit for the extension of public sanitary sewers. Plans consisting of three prints and one mylar suitable for reproduction showing work to be done under a public sanitary sewer extension permit shall be submitted with the permit application. Upon completion of the work and before release of the bond, the applicant shall submit “as-built” drawings showing all underground utilities encountered during construction as well as actual construction details. All sanitary sewer work requiring permits shall be done in accordance with the design criteria and construction and material standards and specifications of the city. The applicant for a sanitary sewer permit shall provide the city with a bond or bonds in amounts determined by the city sufficient to assure completion of the work in the event the applicant refuses or is unable to complete the work. (Ord. 312, 1979; Ord. 291, 1978; Ord. 209 § 5, 1974).
13.28.060 Permit – Display.
The permits required under the terms of this chapter must, at all times during the performance of the work and until the completion thereof, be posted in some conspicuous place at or near the work. (Ord. 209 § 6, 1974).
13.28.070 Permit – Time limit.
Any permit issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be valid for a period of six months. Renewal permits shall be valid for an additional six months. (Ord. 209 § 7, 1974).
13.28.080 Depositing excrement, garbage and waste on property prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the city in any area under the jurisdiction of the city any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste. (Ord. 209 § 8, 1974).
13.28.090 Privies and cesspools prohibited.
Except as hereinafter provided, it is unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage. New septic tanks may be constructed, installed or maintained only as provided in GHMC 13.28.100. (Ord. 911 § 1, 2002; Ord. 209 § 8, 1974).
13.28.100 Public sanitary sewer hook-up requirements and exceptions.
A. Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the words listed below shall have the following meanings:
1. “Human occupancy” shall mean that the normally accepted use of the particular type of structure, building or home is living quarters, a place of work, office, store, or any other place where people will spend time, including, but not limited to, restaurants, churches, schools, theaters, and parks.
2. “Building” shall mean any structure built for the support or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or property of any kind.
3. “Structure” shall mean a combination of materials that is constructed or erected, either on or under the ground, or that is attached to something having a permanent location on the ground, excluding residential fences, retaining walls, rockeries and similar improvements of a minor character the construction of which is not regulated by the building code of the city.
B. Requirements for New Construction. The owners of all new houses, buildings, structures, or other uses of property used for human occupancy shall be required to connect the improvements on their properties to a public sanitary sewer, except as provided in subsection E of this section.
C. Requirements for Existing Houses, Buildings, Structures or Uses. The owners of all existing houses, buildings, structures, or other uses of property used for human occupancy situated in the city and abutting on any street, alley, or easement, which are not currently connected to the city’s public sanitary sewer system shall not be required to connect, unless (1) a local improvement district (LID) is formed for the purpose of providing sewer to the property; or (2) there is a health or safety hazard associated with the private sewer or on-site septic system. If either of these two situations exist, the property owner shall be required to connect the property to the city’s sewer system, and the city will provide the property owner written notice of the requirement to connect.
D. Requirements for Houses, Buildings, Structures, or Uses Newly Annexed to the City. Owners of houses, buildings, structures, or uses of property used for human occupancy that are newly annexed to the city shall be required to connect to the city’s sewer system as provided in subsection C of this section.
E. Exceptions.
1. The public works director may approve an exception to the requirements of this section to address the on-site sewer needs of new buildings and structures to be constructed on individual lots created prior to the Washington State Legislature’s adoption of the Growth Management Act (Chapter 36.70A RCW) on July 1, 1990, if all of the following limited circumstances exist:
a. The subject lot is not within 200 linear feet as measured from the nearest property line along the path of sewer main construction to an existing public sanitary sewer; and
b. The subject lot in its current configuration was created prior to July 1, 1990; and
c. The septic system to be constructed will serve no more than one single-family dwelling unit or no more than one building or no more than one structure on the lot meeting the criteria of this subsection; and
d. The property owner shall record a notice against the lot, in a form approved by the city attorney, providing notice to all subsequent purchasers that the city’s approval of a septic system under these procedures will not affect the city’s ability to enforce any of the requirements of this section or this chapter (including the requirement to connect to a public sanitary sewer in the future) against the lot at any time in the future, as long as the conditions described in that subsection exist.
2. Expiration of Exception, Appeals.
a. The public works director’s denial of an exception shall not be a final, appealable decision if the request for the exception is made prior to submission of a project permit application for construction of the building or structure on the lot. If a request is denied, a property owner may make a subsequent request for an exception at the time of submission of a project permit application for construction of a structure or building on the property, or at the time any circumstances pertinent to the criteria in this subsection substantially change.
b. If the request for the exception is made in conjunction with the submission of a project permit application for construction of the building or structure on the lot, the public works director’s decision may only be appealed together with (and/or following the procedures associated with) an appeal of the underlying project permit application.
c. The public works director’s granting of an exception that is not associated with a project permit application shall expire within one year if a project permit application is not submitted to the city. The public works director’s granting of an exception associated with a project permit application shall expire concurrent with the underlying permit.
3. This procedure is exempt from the procedures in GHMC Title 19, pursuant to RCW 36.70B.140.
F. Penalties for Noncompliance. The city may implement the procedures set forth in GHMC 13.28.130 for a property owner’s failure to comply with the requirements of this section. In the alternative or in addition to GHMC 13.28.130, the city may impose penalties on the property owner in an amount equal to the charge that would be made for sewer service if the property was connected to the sewer system, on the date required by this section. Pursuant to RCW 35.67.194, all penalties shall be considered revenues of the system. (Ord. 1161 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1037 § 1, 2006; Ord. 911 § 2, 2002; Ord. 291, 1978; Ord. 209 § 8, 1974).
13.28.105 Temporary on-site sewage storage tanks.
A. Temporary on-site sewage storage tanks shall be limited to commercial non-food service use only. Owners of property zoned commercial may apply for a temporary on-site sewage storage tank under this section, to be used only for commercial non-food service development.
B. Application for Sewer Concurrency Required. In order to apply for a temporary on-site sewage storage tank under this chapter, the applicant must also have submitted a complete application for sewer concurrency under Chapter 19.10 GHMC.
C. Complete Application for Temporary On-Site Sewage Storage Tanks. A complete application for a temporary on-site sewage storage tank consists of all of the following:
1. For all permit types: sewer hydraulics report.
2. For all permit types: preliminary civil plans in accordance with the preliminary civil plan checklist.
3. For civil plan review: civil plans in accordance with the civil plan checklist.
D. The applicant shall provide the city with a septic holding tank design approved by the Tacoma-Pierce County health department.
E. The proposed development shall be located within 300 feet of an existing city of Gig Harbor sewer main.
F. Issuance of a permit for a temporary on-site sewage storage tank shall be the responsibility of the Tacoma-Pierce County health department.
G. Installation and Operational Requirements for Temporary On-Site Sewage Storage Tanks.
1. The temporary tanks must be installed and operational prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy for the building being served. The developer/property owner will pay all costs relating to the installation of a temporary, on-site sewage storage tank.
2. In addition to the installation of an approved temporary on-site sewage storage tank, the property owner must also install a dry sewer connection to the city’s sewer main. This sewer connection will be constructed to connect to the building and not to the tank(s). Final connection between the building and the dry sewer connection may only occur if a temporary valve is installed at the perimeter of the building to not allow sewer to flow to the city’s sewer main. The valve would remain closed and a sewer test ball will be installed at the property line clean-out until such time the development receives sewer concurrency.
3. The developer must bond for, and/or record against the title to the property, notice to all subsequent owners of a beneficial interest in the property that the temporary sewage storage tank was installed pursuant to this section, and that the owner of the property is required to have the tank decommissioned in a manner acceptable to the city and the Tacoma-Pierce County health department after its use. This notice will also state that the installation of a temporary on-site sewage storage tank was optional on the part of the developer/property owner, and that the city will not incur any costs relating to installation or decommissioning. In addition, the notice will state that when sewer capacity becomes available, the property owner will be required to hook up to the city’s sewer system and, at that time, the property owner will be required to pay any difference in the connection fee in effect at the time they initially paid the connection fee and the connection fee in effect on the date they connect to the city’s sewer system. Reference will be made to the penalties established in this section for noncompliance.
4. The developer must comply with all Tacoma-Pierce County health department regulations.
5. The developer shall not generate more sewage than allowed by the Tacoma-Pierce County health department regulations without an approved variance from the Tacoma-Pierce County health department.
6. While the temporary sewage storage tank is operational, no discharge of the effluent may enter the city’s sewer or storm water system.
7. The tank shall be pumped at least once every two weeks, and the property owner shall provide a copy of the holding tank maintenance agreement to the city. The property owner shall bond for the cost of pumping of the tank as such costs are determined by the city engineer. In addition, the property owner shall record against the title to the property the requirement to have the tank pumped out based on a schedule and not based on calls from an alarm.
8. The tank shall include working, external audible level alarms with a minimum of two levels (high level and extreme high level) as a backup to the scheduled pumping.
9. The tank shall vent back to the building vents.
10. The tank shall have self-contained pumps for evacuating each tank to the transfer vehicle. Vacuum-type evacuation is prohibited.
11. The tank shall include a locking mechanism that can only be opened by either the pumping company or the city.
12. The tank shall be installed, tested, and accepted prior to issuance of either temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy.
13. Tank pumping records shall be logged on site and be available to the city during normal business hours for inspection. These records shall include receipt from the sewer system receiving the effluent.
14. A backup battery shall be provided for the alarm system for emergency situations where electricity at the development has been lost. When pumping is required during periods of power loss, vacuum-powered transfer vehicles would be allowed.
H. Fees. The applicant shall pay the applicable permit, processing, review, monitoring, and inspection fees which will be adopted by a separate resolution.
I. Notice. The notice recorded against the property incorporating the requirements of this section shall be in a form approved by the city attorney and include all of the information set forth in subsections (G)(3), (7) and (I) of this section. This notice shall grant the city a right of entry onto the property in order to abate any problem relating to the temporary sewage tank, or to disconnect the temporary tank when the city provides notice to the property owner that sewage capacity is available to serve the property.
J. Penalties for Noncompliance.
1. The property owner shall be required to pay the connection fee in place at the time the city notifies the property owner of the availability of sewer capacity, and to hook up to the city’s sewer system. If the property owner fails to connect to the city’s sewer system within 90 days of the city’s notice of sewer availability, the property owner shall be subject to a cumulative civil penalty in the amount of $250.00 per day from the date of the notice until connection and payment of the fees. The penalty imposed by this section shall be collected by a civil action brought in the name of the city. The public works director shall notify the city attorney in writing of the name of any person subject to the penalty, and the city attorney shall, with the assistance of the public works director and all appropriate staff persons, take appropriate action to collect the penalty.
2. In addition to the imposition of penalties, the city may abate any problem relating to the temporary sewage tank or disconnect the temporary sewage tank when sewage capacity is available, by entering the property, and billing the property owner for all related costs. The notice recorded against the property shall provide for the property owner’s consent to the city’s imposition of a lien against the property for the city’s costs relating to such correction and/or abatement, if the property owner does not correct the problem.
3. Failure to pump the storage tanks according to the schedule established in this section shall result in a $250.00 fine for every day past the scheduled pumping date. If the storage tanks have not been pumped 10 days after the deadlines established in the schedule, the city may hire a company to enter the property and pump the tank(s), and the city will bill the property owner for any associated costs.
K. Sewer Connection Fees. Nothing in this section eliminates the requirement for property owners receiving permits for on-site sewage storage tanks under the provisions of this section to pay sewer utility connection fees once the city provides notice that sewer capacity is available in the city’s sewer system. (Ord. 1138 § 2, 2008).
13.28.110 Health or safety hazard – Connection required – Disinfection.
In all cases where a public health or safety hazard exists as determined by the superintendent and the property is available to the public sewer the city council shall compel the owners of such buildings or properties to connect to the public sewer at their expense within 20 days of such notice, under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the superintendent and to that end the city council shall direct the superintendent to notify in writing the owner or occupant of such premises that the use of the privy well or vault, or cesspool, shall be terminated, and the privy well or vault, or cesspool, must be disinfected and filled with fresh earth, and a septic tank must be constructed upon such premises and suitable plumbing installed in any building or structure located thereon and such plumbing connected with, and to drain in to such septic tank, all within the period of 20 days from and after the time when such notice shall be served as hereinafter provided. (Ord. 209 § 8, 1974).
13.28.120 Cesspools and sumps – When permitted.
Nothing contained in GHMC 13.28.080 through 13.28.110 shall prohibit the use of cesspools or sumps for the disposition of liquids from floor drains or laundry trays where such fixtures are too low to drain into the sanitary sewer. (Ord. 209 § 8, 1974).
13.28.130 Refusal to connect – Connection by city – Cost assessment – Lien.
If any owner or occupant fails, neglects or refuses to connect his lands, buildings, or premises with the public sewer within the time specified in the notice referred to in GHMC 13.28.080 through 13.28.120, or fails, neglects or refuses to do the other work specified and ordered to be done as provided in GHMC 13.28.080 through 13.28.120, or in GHMC 13.28.140 within the time specified in the notice theretofore served upon such owner or occupant as provided in GHMC 13.28.080 through 13.28.120, or GHMC 13.28.140, the superintendent shall make such connection or do such work and the cost of the connection or of such work done by the superintendent shall be assessed against the property so connected or upon which such work is done and the amount of such cost shall become a lien upon the premises so connected or upon which the work is done, and the city attorney is authorized, empowered and directed to collect the amount of the cost of such connection on the doing of such work, either by foreclosure of the lien or by a suit against the owner or occupant of the premises, which suit shall be maintained in the name of the city as plaintiff, in any court of competent jurisdiction. (Ord. 209 § 9, 1974).
13.28.140 Repair of obstructed or broken sewers.
Whenever any private sewer pipe connected with any public sewer becomes obstructed, broken or out of order, and if the owner, agent or occupant of such premises fails to repair the same within five days after notification to do so by the superintendent, the superintendent is authorized to remove, reconstruct, replace, alter or clear the same as required, at the expense of the owner, agent or occupant of such premises, and when two or more houses or buildings are connected with the same private sewer, the owners, agent or occupants of such premises, shall be jointly and equally liable for any work done at the direction of the superintendent under this section. No permit shall be required for the removal of obstructions from private sewers, providing the pipe is not damaged. (Ord. 209 § 10, 1974).
13.28.150 Storm water and other waters – Discharge into sanitary sewer prohibited.
No person or business firm shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, ground water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.160 Storm water and other unpolluted drainage – Use of storm sewer or natural outlet required.
Storm water and other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such drains as are specifically designated as storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the superintendent. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, upon approval of the superintendent and other authorizing government agencies to a storm sewer or natural outlet. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.170 Prohibited discharges.
Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described substances to any public sewer:
A. Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas;
B. Any garbage that has not been properly shredded;
C. Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, lift stations or other interference with the proper operation of the wastewater treatment plant;
D. Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 6.0 or higher than 9.0 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the wastewater treatment plant;
E. Any waters or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process constitute a hazard in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant;
F. Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such materials at the wastewater treatment plant;
G. Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance;
H. Any discharge that is inconsistent with GHMC 13.30.060. (Ord. 1185 § 2, 2010; Ord. 1107 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1087 § 2, 2007; Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.180 Grease, oil and sand interceptors – When required – Type, capacity and location.
Repealed by Ords. 1087 and 1107. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.190 Grease, oil and sand interceptors – Construction.
Repealed by Ords. 1087 and 1107. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.200 Grease, oil and sand interceptors – Maintenance.
Repealed by Ords. 1087 and 1107. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.210 Discharge of certain waters or wastes – Approval – Preliminary treatment.
A. The admission into the public sewers of any waters of wastes having: (1) a five-day biochemical oxygen demand greater than 300 parts per million by weight; or (2) containing more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids; or (3) containing any quantity or substances having the characteristics described above in this section and GHMC 13.28.150 through 13.28.200; or (4) having an average daily flow greater than two percent of the average daily sewage flow of the city shall be subject to the review and approval of the superintendent.
B. Where necessary in the opinion of the superintendent, the owner shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:
1. Reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 parts per million and the suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight; or
2. Reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for above; or
3. Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.
C. Plans, specifications, and other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the superintendent and the Department of Ecology of the state, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.220 Preliminary treatment facilities – Maintenance.
Where preliminary treatment facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation, by the owner at his expense. (Ord. 209 § 11, 1974).
13.28.230 Fees for inspection.
A. There shall be no charge for required inspections unless an inspection is necessary because of failure to comply with the terms of this chapter or any construction standards, specifications or codes of the city. For all inspections for which a charge is made, the charge shall consist of the actual cost per hour, including overhead, of sending sewer department personnel to make the inspections plus equipment rental charges, if any. In no event shall the charge be less than $10.00. Inspection of sewer main construction shall consist of the actual cost per hour, indicating overhead, of sending sewer department personnel to make the inspections, plus equipment rental charges, if any. The estimated amount of said charges plus excavation permit charges shall be deposited in advance of said inspection.
B. All inspection fees shall be paid to the city clerk-treasurer who shall issue receipts therefor. No permit shall be issued to any person who is delinquent in the payment of inspection charges. (Ord. 291, 1978; Ord. 209 § 12, 1974).
13.28.240 Damaging sewers prohibited.
No person shall maliciously or wilfully break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance, or equipment which is a part of the sewage works. (Ord. 209 § 13, 1974).
13.28.250 Planting certain trees and shrubs prohibited – Removal.
It is unlawful to plant poplar, cottonwood, soft maples, willow, or any other tree or shrub whose roots are likely to obstruct public or private sewers. The superintendent is authorized to remove any trees or shrubs from any public street, or the roots of any trees or shrubs which extend into any public street, when the trees or the roots thereof are obstructing, or when he determines that they are liable to obstruct, public or private sewers; provided, however, that he shall give 10 days’ notice in writing to the owner or occupant of the abutting property to remove the same, and if such owner or occupant fails or refuses to do so, the reasonable cost of such removal from either private property, alleys or street, when done at the direction of the superintendent shall be a charge against, and a lien upon, the abutting property from which such trees or shrubs are removed, and the city attorney is authorized and directed to collect such charge by suit maintained in the name of the city as plaintiff, against the owner in any court of competent jurisdiction. (Ord. 209 § 14, 1974).
13.28.260 Septic tank systems – When permitted.
Repealed by Ord. 1138. (Ord. 761 § 1, 1997; Ord. 467, 1985).
13.28.270 Violation – Penalty.
This chapter shall be enforced according to the procedures set forth in Chapter 12.17 GHMC. The person authorized to enforce this chapter pursuant to Chapter 12.17 GHMC is the WWTP supervisor or his/her designee. (Ord. 1185 § 3, 2010; Ord. 1107 § 6, 2007; Ord. 526 § 1, 1987; Ord. 460 § 9, 1985).