Chapter 4.10
SEWER REGULATIONS1

Sections:

4.10.010    North Davis County sewer district.

4.10.020    When owner required to connect to sewer – Private ownership.

4.10.030    Permit required.

4.10.040    Independent service lines necessary.

4.10.050    Discharging excessive water into sewer.

4.10.060    Subdivision and other developments.

4.10.070    Damage.

4.10.080    Manholes.

4.10.090    Pretreatment and discharge permit requirements.

4.10.100    Wastewater discharge prohibitions and limitations.

4.10.104    Fats, oils, grease, and sediment control.

4.10.110    Authorization necessary to reconnect.

4.10.120    Authorized representative to have free access.

4.10.130    Nongravity sewer discharge.

4.10.010 North Davis County sewer district.

The corporate limits of Syracuse City are within the area of the North Davis County sewer district (the “district”), which is organized under Utah law. All ordinances, rules and regulations of the district are hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-010.]

4.10.020 When owner required to connect to sewer – Private ownership.

(A) The owner of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, commercial, industrial or other like purposes, situated within the corporate limits of the City and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary or combined sewer owned and operated by the City or owned or operated by the district, is hereby required, at his expense, to install suitable facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within 90 days after the date that said public sewer is available for use; provided, that said public sewer line is within 300 feet of any such building discharging sanitary or industrial waste.

(B) All service lateral lines are privately owned and solely the responsibility of the property owner of the property served by the lateral line. Private ownership of lateral lines begins where the line connects to the main, and the City has no responsibility for the maintenance, control or repair of laterals. [Ord. 18-18 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-020.]

4.10.030 Permit required.

No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof for any reason without first obtaining a written permit from the district or the owner of such sewer facilities. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-030.]

4.10.040 Independent service lines necessary.

A separate and independent service lateral shall be provided for every building. The City Engineer may consider exceptions in cases such as where one building stands at the rear of another or on an interior lot and no public sewer is available or can be constructed to the rear building other than routing a pipe through an adjoining alley, court, yard, or driveway. In this case, the service lateral from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one service lateral. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-040.]

4.10.050 Discharging excessive water into sewer.

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, ground water, roof runoff, or subsurface drainage into any sanitary sewer. Such storm water and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as storm sewers, or to a natural outlet consisting of water courses, ponds, ditches, lakes, or other bodies of surface or ground water provided for receiving the same. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-050.]

4.10.060 Subdivision and other developments.

No subdivision plat, industrial park, or commercial development shall be approved or recommended by the City Planning Commission, nor shall a building permit or certificate of occupancy be issued for any lot or part thereof or for the whole thereof, unless the City shall have first received a signed document from the district approving the sewer aspects of the proposed development. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-060.]

4.10.070 Damage.

No person shall intentionally or negligently cause any damage to the sewer system. Repairs necessary for any damage caused shall become the responsibility of the person causing the damage. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-070.]

4.10.080 Manholes.

No person shall open a manhole of the sewer system without first receiving authorization to do so from the City. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-080.]

4.10.090 Pretreatment and discharge permit requirements.

(A) Those persons required to pretreat wastewater in order to comply with federal pretreatment standards and/or district wastewater control rules and regulations and any permits issued thereunder shall provide, operate, and maintain the necessary pretreatment facilities in accordance with the district pretreatment regulations.

(B) Industrial users required to apply for a discharge permit pursuant to the district wastewater control rules and regulations shall obtain such permit prior to discharging into the sewer system. Applications shall be in the form prescribed by the district board. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-090.]

4.10.100 Wastewater discharge prohibitions and limitations.

(A) Generally. No person shall discharge into the sewer system any substance or in a manner which, under ordinary circumstances, either (1) is harmful or detrimental to or interferes with either the sewer system, the functioning of the sewer system, the environment, or the public health, or (2) causes sewage to pass through the sewer system without treatment and thereby creating a significant health hazard or diminishing the quality of the environment.

(B) Discharge Prohibitions. No person shall discharge into the sewer system any substance or discharge into the system in a manner which violates the wastewater discharge prohibitions and limitations contained within the district wastewater control rules and regulations currently in force and as amended from time to time, which are incorporated by this reference as a part hereof as though fully set forth herein, together with any schedules or appendices which are a part of the district wastewater control rules and regulations.

(C) Immediate Reporting. Immediately upon discharging a prohibited substance or upon discovering that a prohibited substance has been discharged, the person performing or discovering such discharge shall immediately notify the staff of the district of the discharge by the most rapid available means, if such person knows or reasonably should have known that (1) the substance was discharged, and (2) the discharge of the substance was prohibited. Notification pursuant to this subsection does not relieve the person notifying of any liability, except liability for violation of this subsection.

(D) Preventing Accidental Discharge.

(1) Generally. Every person conducting an activity which creates a substantial risk that a prohibited substance will be discharged into the sewer system shall provide adequate protection against accidental discharge of such a prohibited substance by either (a) implementing procedures or practices which tend to reduce the likelihood of such a discharge, and/or (b) installing facilities designed to prevent such accidental discharge. The district general manager may identify persons required to provide such protection and direct them to comply with this subsection.

(2) City/District Requirements. The City Public Works Director and/or the district general manager are hereby authorized to specify particular procedures, practices, and/or facilities which shall be implemented by any person, (a) if the district general manager finds that there is substantial risk of a discharge prohibited by this section if preventive measures are not undertaken, and (b) if such procedures, practices and/or facilities substantially reduce the risk of discharge prohibited by this section, and (c) if the cost of implementing such procedures, practices, and/or installing such facilities is found by the City Council and/or district board to be reasonable in light of both the potential damage to the sewer system and/or the environment if an accidental discharge occurs, and the effectiveness of the equipment in preventing such an accidental discharge.

(3) Plans. In every case where facilities are required to be installed pursuant to this subsection, the Public Works Director and/or district general manager are hereby authorized to require submission of detailed plans for the required facilities and their operation before construction of the facilities is begun.

(E) Preventive Requirements.

(1) Report. Within five days after the discharge of a prohibited substance, the person who discharged such substance shall file with the City a written report describing (a) the nature and content of the discharge, (b) the cause(s) of the discharge, and (c) remedial measures to be taken by the discharger to prevent similar discharges in the future. The City Public Works Director or his designee may inspect the site of the accidental discharge and interview any person involved in the discharge in order to ascertain or confirm what happened and assure that remedial measures adequate to prevent future accidents are carried out as represented.

(2) Authorization to Require Changes. If (a) a person has discharged a prohibited substance, and (b) it is likely that the same person will again discharge a similar prohibited substance in the future if preventive measures are not undertaken, then the Public Works Director is hereby authorized to require the person who discharged the prohibited substance to make change(s) in equipment, facilities, procedures, or practices, which change(s): (a) have the effect of substantially reducing the risk of a similar discharge in the future, and (b) are found by the Public Works Director to be reasonable in cost in light of the potential damage to the system and environment arising out of a similar prohibited discharge in the future. Nothing in this subsection relieves any person of any liability, except liability for violation of this subsection.

(F) Self-Monitoring and Reporting. The Public Works Director is hereby authorized to require that persons discharging into the sewer system, other than persons discharging only ordinary domestic sewage, monitor and report their sewage discharges in a manner and to the extent necessary to: (1) provide adequate compliance with and enforcement of the district’s wastewater control rules and regulations; (2) assess the source of the components of the sewage transmitted by the City and treated and disposed of by the district; and (3) charge reasonable fees and surcharges to dischargers based on actual discharges or reasonable classifications of discharges. The Public Works Director is further hereby authorized to require that such monitoring and reporting be performed at the expense of the person discharging. Every person required to monitor and report pursuant to this section shall monitor and report as required by the district wastewater control rules and regulations and in conformity with this section.

(G) Compliance Monitoring. The district pretreatment administrator is hereby authorized to sample and analyze the sewage of, and inspect the facilities of, persons discharging into the sewer system in order to determine or verify compliance with this section. The City Council is further authorized to require the installation of reasonable facilities, such as manholes, to enable such sampling. However, nothing in this section limits any power that the City or District may have to investigate or enforce compliance with other sections of this chapter or through means not specified in this subsection.

(H) Strict Liability. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty without regard to fault, knowledge, intent, or the state of mind of the person committing the violation.

(I) Nuisance. Any condition or situation which causes a violation of this section is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and may be abated as provided by law. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-100.]

4.10.104 Fats, oils, grease, and sediment control.

This section is applicable to commercial and industrial users that have the potential to discharge deleterious wastewaters containing elevated levels of fat, oils, grease, or granular sediment to the sewer collection system.

(A) Definitions. The following definitions are supplemental to others in this chapter and applicable to this section:

“Commercial user” means any commercial business whether public or private and whether stationary or mobile that discharges wastewater into the public sewer system.

“Common interceptor” means one or more interceptors receiving deleterious wastewater from more than one establishment.

“Fats, oil, and grease (FOG)” means fats, oil and grease of vegetable and animal origin. It also includes petroleum oils and granular sediment such as sand or soil.

“Food service establishment (FSE)” means any building, vehicle, place, or structure where food is prepared, served, or provided for consumption.

“Gravity grease interceptor (GGI)” means gravity-flowing large capacity grease control devices situated outside and belowground.

“Grease control devices (GCD)” means a structure or device designed for the purpose of removing and preventing fats, oils, and grease from entering the sanitary sewer collection system. They include all types of gravity grease interceptors and hydromechanical grease interceptors.

Hydromechanical Grease Interceptor (HGI). These devices are formally known as grease traps that are made of steel, fiberglass, or polyethylene which are typically compact, under-the-sink units located near food preparation areas. There are larger types that are typically located outside and some types that include an automatic grease removal device.

“Industrial user” means any industrial business whether public or private and whether stationary or mobile that discharges wastewater into the public sewer system.

(B) Interceptor and Trap Installation Specifications.

(1) GCDs, in compliance with the International Plumbing Code (IPC), shall be required of any commercial or industrial user for the proper handling of wastewater containing FOG in excessive amounts and appropriately sized to handle volumes at the highest capacity.

(2) Any commercial or industrial user and any FSE utilizing a three-compartment sink shall be required to have a GCD installed at its own expense and shall be required to properly maintain the device.

(3) All construction plans for GCDs shall include the type, capacity, and location and shall be submitted to the City for review and approval prior to installation.

(4) All interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of substantial construction, watertight, and equipped with easily removable covers which are both gastight and watertight.

(5) All existing commercial or industrial users without a GCD or having an inadequate GCD shall have one year to install an appropriate GCD upon notification by the City.

(6) GCDs for businesses that have closed shall be dewatered and cleaned by the owner of the premises. A representative of the City may inspect and verify this process has been properly completed.

(C) General Fog Waste Discharge Limits and Requirements. It shall be unlawful to discharge any sanitary wastewater, commercial and industrial waste, or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with provisions of this chapter. The following are general requirements and prohibitions applicable to this section:

(1) The discharge of any substance into the sewer system that exceeds or violates general or specific prohibitions listed in SCC 4.10.100 is prohibited.

(2) The discharge of FOG into the sewer system that may accumulate, cause or contribute to blockages in the sewer system, except as provided herein, is prohibited.

(3) Installation and use of food grinders in new or remodeled FSEs are allowed, but are not recommended as they tend to increase the potential of blockages in the GCD with food particles.

(4) Emulsifiers, enzymes, or degreasers shall not be added as sewer aids to any plumbing that leads to any interceptor directly or indirectly.

(5) The disposal of cooking oil (yellow grease) into the sewer system is prohibited. All waste cooking oils shall be collected, stored, and labeled properly in receptacles such as barrels or drums for recycling or other acceptable methods of disposal.

(6) The discharge of wastewater with temperatures more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit to any GCD is prohibited.

(7) The discharge of waste from toilets, urinals, washbasins, and other fixtures containing fecal materials into any GCD is prohibited.

(8) The discharge of solids and FOG waste collected from a GCD to the sewer system is prohibited. Wastes removed from interceptors must be hauled off and properly disposed of periodically in compliance with operation and maintenance requirements.

(9) Operation of a GCD with the accumulation of both FOG and solids (floating plus settled) exceeding 25 percent of the design hydraulic depth of the GCD is prohibited.

(10) Commercial users, during regular business hours, shall provide the City immediate and safe access to the premises and FOG handling facilities.

(11) The City may require visual monitoring at the expense of the commercial user to observe conditions of the GCD, sewer lateral, and downstream appurtenances.

(D) Kitchen Best Management Practices (BMP) Requirements. All food service establishments (FSEs) shall be required, at a minimum, to implement and comply with the following kitchen BMPs, whenever applicable:

(1) Strainers. Drain screens (strainers) shall be installed on all drainage pipes in food preparation areas.

(2) Waste Cooking Oil. All waste cooking oil shall be collected and stored properly in recycling receptacles such as barrels or drums. Such recycling receptacles shall be maintained properly to ensure they do not leak. A secondary containment shall be in place.

(3) Disposal of Garbage and Food Waste. All garbage and food waste shall be disposed of directly into trash bins or containers, and not in sinks, drainage pipes, or the sewer system. Food waste should be disposed of in lined trash bins.

(4) Employee Training. Employees of FSEs shall be trained once each calendar year in the following areas:

(a) How to “dry wipe/scrape” pots, pans, dishware, and work areas before washing to remove FOG.

(b) How to properly dispose of garbage, food waste, and solids in lined plastic bags prior to disposal in trash bins or containers, to prevent leaking and odors.

(c) The location and use of absorbent products to clean under fryer baskets and other locations where FOG may be spilled or accumulated.

(d) How to properly dispose of cooking oil from fry equipment into a FOG receptacle such as a barrel or drum without spilling.

(e) Training shall be documented with a date, trainer name, and employee signatures recorded, indicating each employee’s attendance and understanding of the practices reviewed. Training records shall be available for review at any reasonable time by the City.

(5) Exhaust Filter Maintenance. Exhaust filters shall be maintained in good operating condition utilizing frequent cleaning practices. Wastewater generated from cleaning exhaust filters shall be disposed of properly.

(6) Signs. Kitchen BMP signs, posters, or similar information, in appropriate language(s), shall be prominently displayed in the food preparation and dish washing areas at all times.

(7) Drips and Spills. Absorbent materials shall be placed under fryers and other areas where FOG typically or frequently drips or spills.

(8) Spill Prevention. Covered devices shall be used in transporting FOG to prevent spills.

(9) FOG Containers. FOG containers shall be emptied before they are full to avoid accidental or incidental spills.

(10) Spill Kits. “Spill kits” (e.g., absorbent materials) shall be provided and readily available in the event of a spill.

(E) Outdoor GGI Operation and Maintenance Requirements. All existing and newly constructed gravity grease interceptors (GGIs) shall be operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. The maintenance frequency for all commercial users with GGIs shall be determined by the following:

(1) Where installed, a GGI shall be fully maintained by the user, at its sole expense, in a continuous and efficient manner, and always subject to City inspection and approval.

(2) GGIs shall be maintained in efficient operating condition by the periodic removal of the full contents of the interceptor. GGIs shall be fully emptied and cleaned at a frequency such that the combined floating and settled FOG accumulation does not exceed 25 percent of the design hydraulic depth of the interceptor. This is to ensure that the minimum hydraulic retention time, and required available volume, is maintained to effectively intercept and retain FOG.

(3) If a GGI at any time is observed by the City to contain floating and settled FOG accumulation in excess of 25 percent, the user shall be required to have the interceptor serviced as soon as possible, but no later than 10 days from the date the notice of violation was given, such that all FOG, sludge, and other materials, are completely removed from the interceptor.

(4) The owner of the property or business on which a common interceptor, and/or the facilities discharging to a common interceptor, are located shall be primarily responsible for the maintenance, upkeep, and repair of the interceptor.

(5) No commercial user shall increase the use of water or in any other manner attempt to dilute a discharge as a way of achieving compliance with this chapter.

(F) Indoor HGI Operation and Maintenance Requirements.

(1) Where installed, a HGI shall be fully maintained by the user, at its sole expense, in a continuous and efficient manner, and always subject to City inspection and approval.

(2) HGIs shall be operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.

(3) HGIs shall be maintained in efficient operating condition by removing accumulated grease on an as-needed basis, or the frequency specified by the manufacturer, but no less than weekly.

(4) HGIs shall be fully emptied of all food residues, and any FOG waste, during the cleaning and scraping process.

(5) HGIs shall be inspected periodically, but in no event less than once a month, to check for leaking seams and pipes, and for effective operation of the baffles and flow-regulating device. HGIs and their baffles shall be maintained free of all caked-on FOG and waste. Removable baffles shall be removed and cleaned during the maintenance process.

(6) Automatic dishwashers and/or food grinder units may be connected to a GGI but shall not be connected to or discharged to any HGI.

(7) No FSE shall increase the use of water or in any other manner attempt to dilute a discharge as a way of achieving compliance with this chapter.

(G) Notification Requirements. A commercial and industrial user shall comply with the following notification requirements:

(1) Notification of Spills and/or Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO).

(a) In the event a user is unable to comply with the FOG control requirements due to a breakdown of equipment, accidents, or human error, or the user has reasonable belief that its discharge will violate this chapter, the user or its representative shall immediately notify the City by telephone.

(b) If the material discharged has the potential to cause, or results in, sewer blockage or SSO, the user shall immediately notify the City by telephone.

(c) The incident shall be documented by the user within five working days from the date of the incident and shall state the date of the incident, the reasons for the discharge or spill, what steps were taken to immediately correct the problem, and what steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence.

(d) Such notification shall not relieve the user of any expense, loss, damage, or other liability that may be incurred resulting in damage or otherwise arising out of a violation of this chapter, or other applicable law.

(2) Notification of Potential Increased FOG Discharges. Commercial users shall notify the City in writing at least 60 days prior to any facility expansion, and/or remodeling or process modifications that may result in new or substantially increased FOG discharges, or a change in the nature of the discharge. The user shall submit any information requested by the City for evaluation including but not limited to: FSE name, name and the title of the user’s contact person or person most knowledgeable concerning the facility expansion and/or remodeling or process modifications, address and telephone number of the user, date of the proposed facility expansion and/or remodeling or process modifications, and the reasons for the same.

(H) Recordkeeping Requirements. The following records shall be maintained for no less than three years, and the commercial user or industrial user shall make them available to the City:

(1) A record or logbook of interceptor cleaning and maintenance practices and activities. The record or logbook shall include dates cleaned, name of waste hauler, any observations concerning the effectiveness of the interceptor or trap in controlling FOG, and any other maintenance performed on the GCD.

(2) A record or logbook of FSE kitchen BMPs being implemented including employee training.

(3) Records of any spills and/or cleaning of the drains and sewer lateral.

(4) Any other information deemed appropriate by the City to ensure compliance with this chapter.

(I) Inspections and Sampling. Commercial users shall be inspected on a regular basis by the City to determine if the businesses are in compliance with this chapter. The purpose of inspections is to verify if users are complying with this chapter; collect and analyze samples and compare results to established discharge limitations; provide evidence in support of enforcement actions; verify correction of problems; and maintain records of user discharge constituents.

(J) Violations. Any commercial user or industrial user in violation of this chapter shall be notified of the violation in writing issued by the City. If the violation remains out of compliance after the indicated date on the violation notice, a fine will be issued. The fine amount is indicated in the consolidated fee schedule. A fine that is not paid within 60 days shall have the business license suspended until payment is made in full and the violation becomes compliant. A fine that is not paid within 120 days shall have the water shut off to the premises until payment is made in full and the violation becomes compliant.

(K) Appeal.

(1) A person or business who has been issued a violation or shut-off notice may appeal that decision by filing a written notice of appeal with the City Recorder within 10 calendar days of the notice or citation. The appeal hearing shall be before a Hearing Officer. Hearings shall be conducted as provided in Chapter 6.20 SCC. All appeals shall be accompanied by a copy of the notice or citation and by a filing fee established by the City’s fee schedule. A pending appeal stays shut-off action.

(2) Failure to file a written notice of appeal within 10 calendar days from the date of the citation or shut-off notice shall be deemed a waiver of the right to appeal the citation or notice.

(3) An appeal of shut-off due to nonpayment is limited only to whether the appellant tendered timely payment. [Ord. 23-12 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 22-24 § 1 (Exh. A).]

4.10.110 Authorization necessary to reconnect.

It shall be unlawful for any person, after sewer service to any premises has been discontinued or disconnected for any reason whatsoever, to reconnect or resume such service or for the owner or occupant of such premises to allow the same to be reconnected or resumed without being authorized by the City. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-110.]

4.10.120 Authorized representative to have free access.

Free access shall, at all ordinary hours, be allowed to authorized representatives of the City and/or the district or other owner of such sanitary sewer to inspect and examine such facilities, including service laterals connected to the building, to inspect the plumbing and facilities therein and the manner of use of such sewer facilities, and to determine compliance with the rules and regulations of the City and/or the district or other owner of such sanitary sewer facilities. [Ord. 12-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Code 1971 § 4-02-120.]

4.10.130 Nongravity sewer discharge.

(A) Sewer Lift Stations.

(1) The City shall not accept or allow the dedication of any sewer lift station or other such facilities designed to cause sewage to move to a higher elevation. The City shall have no responsibility to own, operate, maintain, or replace such facilities.

(2) No planned development, subdivision or single lot may install and utilize a sewer lift station or other such facility designed to cause sewage to move to a higher elevation unless such facility is owned, operated, and maintained through a public special service district.

(B) Pressurized Community Systems.

(1) The City shall not accept or allow dedication of any community pressurized sewer system, which is considered two or more individual grinder pump units discharging into a common force main.

(2) Where connection to a gravity sewer discharge system is possible, no planned development, subdivision or single lot shall install and utilize a community pressurized sewer discharge system, unless such pressurized community sewer discharge systems are owned, operated, and maintained through a public special service district.

(3) No pressurized community sewer discharge system may connect directly to a City-owned, operated, or maintained sewer system. A pressurized community system must maintain a minimum gravity flow scour velocity of two feet per second prior to discharging by gravity to a City sewer main. The City shall not allow any pressurized sewer systems inside a public right-of-way.

(C) Individual Grinder Pump Units.

(1) An individual grinder pump unit, designed to serve a specific residential or commercial structure, is prohibited where connection to a gravity sewer discharge system is possible and may only be installed with a backwater valve approved by the City Engineer in buildings under the following instances:

(a) In accessory buildings or accessory dwelling units located on properties where the primary dwelling unit is already connected to a gravity sewer discharge system; or

(b) In existing buildings where the lowest floor elevation is too low to permit adequate gravity flow to the sewer and all upper floors are served by gravity.

(2) Individual grinder pump units and pressure service lines must be privately owned, operated, and maintained and may not connect directly to a City-owned, operated, and maintained sewer system. An individual grinder pump unit must maintain a minimum gravity flow scour velocity of two feet per second prior to discharging by gravity to a City sewer main. The City shall not allow any pressurized sewer systems inside a public right-of-way. [Ord. 23-05 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 16-07 § 1 (Exh. A).]


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Prior legislation: Amended 1997; Ord. 08-02 §§ 2 – 5.