HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1224ORDZNA_~CE 1224
BEZNG AN ORDINANCE ANENDZNG ORDZNANCE NO. 853,
CITY CODE OF 1977, A8 AMENDED, PERTAINING TO THE REPEAL
OF MUNICIPAL BERVXCEB; UTXLITIEB; WATER ]tHE) BEWER CONNECTION8
The City of Columbia Heights does ordain:
· BCTION 1:
Chapter 4, Article III, Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the
City Code of 1977, as amended, passed June 21, 1977,
which currently reads as follows, to wit:
4.301(1)
4.301(2)
4.301(3)
4.301(4)
Section 1 WATER AND SEWER CONNECTIONS
The Council shall by resolution fix all charges and
penalties for late payment for water and sewer service
and for garbage and rubbish hauling rates for dwellings
and shall similarly fix the rates by which such charges
shall be computed. All such utility bills may be
collected as provided for water billing by Section 4.303.
No permit to tap or connect with sewer or water service
in the City shall be granted for service to property for
which there are delinquent taxes, delinquent special
assessments, or unpaid special charges, as of the date of
the permit application.
The distribution and quantity of water purchased from the
City shall be regulated by the use of water meters, under
the exclusive control of the City. For purposes of
enforcing the provisions of this Code, delegated city
officials upon presentation of proper identification
shall have the authority to enter any premises during
reasonable business hours for inspection or maintenance
of said water meters.
The Public Works Department shall insure that every
customer and user of City water is provided with a
properly installed water meter upon request therefore.
(a)
No person other than an employee of the City shall
install such meter.
(b)
No customer or user of City water shall be provided
water unless such meter has been so installed.
4.301(5)
Every water meter shall be sealed by an employee of the
City at the time of installation; and at any time
thereafter where the seal has been broken.
(a)
No person shall break or remove said seal, provided
however, that a licensed plumber may break said
seal for the purpose of making necessary repairs.
(b)
Any broken seal or removed water meter shall be
reported to the City within 24 hours of such
action, or as soon as discovered.
4.302(1)
4.302(2)
4.302(3)
Section 2 CONNECTION AND DISCONNECTION CHARGES
Water service for any premises, building or building
unit, shall not be commenced or restarted until a
connection fee in an amount set by resolution of the
Council is paid to the Clerk, together with any
delinquent water bills from past service to said building
or building unit, and any unpaid and delinquent special
assessments.
Where separate water meters are installed to service
separate locations or units within the same building, the
provisions of this section relating to delinquent water
bills shall only apply to those locations or units for
which such delinquencies exist.
A disconnection fee as set by resolution of the Council
shall be charged upon voluntary or involuntary
termination of water service at any premises, building,
or building unit.
4.303(1)
4.303(2)
Section 3 UTILITY CHARGES, BILLING AND COLLECTIONS
The administrative service of the City shall provide for
a method of periodic accounting and recording of water
consumed at each metered location throughout the City.
Bills shall then be calculated to include connecting and
disconnecting charges; minimum charges for availability
of water services, regardless of connection or usage; and
consumption charges as are necessary and appropriate for
revenue for the maintenance and operation of the City
water works facilities.
The administrative service shall mall said water bills %o
the general occupant at the address listed for each
specified meter location.
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4.303(3)
4.303(4)
4.303(5)
(a)
For purposes of this section, bills are presumed to
be received by the person responsible for payment
thereon within five (5) days of mailing.
(b)
Water bills are due and payable on the 10th day of
the following month following their mailing. Any
bill not paid by the 10th day of the month
following its mailing is delinquent. Partial
payments shall be considered as payment towards
most recent amounts billed.
The administrative service shall ascertain all water
bills that are delinquent after the 10th day of the month
and mail notice of such delinquency to the occupant of
the metered location by the 20th day of the same month.
If such bill remains unpaid at the 30th day of the month
in which the delinquency notice was sent, the
administrative service shall send a second written notice
of such delinquency. Said notice shall include a
statement that water service will be discontinued unless
full payment is received by the 10th day of the month
following the month in which the first delinquency notice
was mailed.
Water service may be discontinued at any time thereafter,
subject to the following exceptions:
Service may not be discontinued in this manner for:
(a)
Any tenant, lessee, or individual occupant of a
multiple dwelling or commercial building which does
not have a separate meter for each separate tenant,
lessee, or occupant unit.
(b)
Any person who has filed with the Clerk a written
protest of the amount billed, either in whole or in
part, together with the reasons or basis for such
protest.
Water service may be discontinued under circumstances
described in Section 4.303(4)(a) by providing thirty (30)
days written "final notice" to each individual tenant,
lessee, or occupant.
Upon expiration of twenty five (25) days of said thirty
(30) day period, additional written no~i~ ~ha~l ~
provided to each individual tenant, lessee, or occupant
indicating whether the delinquent water bills remain
unpaid.
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4.303(6)
4.303(7)
4.303(8)
Under circumstances described in Section 4.303(4)(b), the
administrative service shall investigate the basis for
the protest and issue a report of its findings to the
aggrieved party. When so warranted by the result of the
investigation, water service may thereafter be terminated
upon twenty four (24) hours notice.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this obligation
for payment of any water bill for a meter servicing an
individual tenant, lessee, or occupant shall be the joint
and severable responsibility of any person in possession
of the premises and the record owner of such premises.
The Council may authorize the City Assessor to certify
unpaid and delinquent water bills to the County Auditor
annually for collection pursuant to the provisions of
Minnesota Statutes Chapter 444.075.
is herewith repealed.
SECTION
This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from
and after thirty (30) days after its passage.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Date of Passage:
Offered By:
Seconded By:
Roll Call:
June 24, 1991
A,,?~t 26. 1991
Auoust 26. 1991
P?~;erson
~]~rkin
Al 1 ayes
Edward Carlson, Mayor
J~Anne Student, Council Secretary
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