HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-031 Surcharge on Noncompliant Water MetersRESOLUTION NO. 2025-31
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A SURCHARGE ON NONCOMPLIANT WATER METERS
WHEREAS, City of Columbia Heights Code section 4.312(A)(3) prescribes the requirements for water meters
within the City of Columbia Heights; and
WHEREAS, the Columbia Heights City Council has authorized a project to replace and update approximately
6,600 customer water meters located in privately -owned residences and businesses throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, to implement this project, since November 2024 City personnel and contractors under City
direction have conducted significant customer outreach using multiple notifications in multiple formats and
multiple languages to schedule appointments to enter customer properties and perform this meter
replacement and related inspections; and
WHEREAS, currently approximately 1,000 customers have not responded to these requests for project
appointments as of March 15t 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Columbia Heights City Council has determined that timely completion of this project is
necessary to avoid the costs of duplicative metering systems and overtime labor to complete the installations
and inspections; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbia Heights Code section 4.312(A)(3)(b) provides that;
Upon a property owner's failure to permit city personnel, or its assigned agent, onto the property to
inspect, repair or replace the meter as required in this division, a monthly surcharge in an amount duly
adopted by the City Council and set forth in the city's fee schedule shall be imposed against the
property on which the meter is located. The monthly surcharge will be imposed for every month during
which the compliance with this division is not met and charged on the property's municipal utility billing
statement, whether the non-compliance has existed for the entire month or a portion:
NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with all ordinances and regulations of the City of Columbia Heights, the City
Council of the City of Columbia Heights makes the following:
ORDER OF COUNCIL
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that municipal utility bills issued after April 30" 2025, and before January 315t 2026,
will include surcharge of $100 per month for noncompliance with City of Columbia Heights Code section
4.312(A)(3).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this surcharge is not subject to the late payment fee established by Resolution
2024-25, and that this surcharge is refundable to the customer upon compliance with City of Columbia Heights
Code section 4.312(A)(3) or disconnection of water service.
Passed this 10th day of March 2025
Offered by: Spriggs
Seconded by: Deneen
Roll Call: All Ayes, Marquez Simula Absent
Rach [James, C cil President
ara Ion, City Clerk