HomeMy WebLinkAboutA-94-07 Utility Fee Increase
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SPONSOR: Councilor Kevin Kirby
ORDINANCE A-94-07
AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL,
INDIANA AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS IN CHAPTER 9, ARTICLE 2, DIVISION
IV, OF THE CARMEL CITY CODE
WHEREAS, The City of Carmel, Hamilton County, Indiana (the "City"), is governed by
a Mayor (the "Mayor") and a Common Council (the "Council"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Indiana Code S 8-1.5 et.~., the City Q~ns, operates,
manages and controls a water utility (the "Utility"); and
WHEREAS, the City's existing schedule of non-recurring fees for water service IS
codified within Chapter 9, of the Carmel City Code; and
WHEREAS, the Utility's costs are increasing and must be offset, in part, by increased
fees and/9f new fees to cover those costs; and
WHEREAS, Indiana Code S 8-1.5-3-8 authorizes the Council to adopt, by ordinance, a
nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just schedule of non-recurring fees for water, subject to the
approval of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (the "lURC"); and
WHEREAS, the schedule of non-recurring water rates and charges adopted herein is
nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just;
WHEREAS, the City's schedule of non-recurring fees and charges for water service shall
apply in all areas serviced by the City's Utility, including, but not limited to, that certain area of
property whose water service was obtained by virtue of the Asset Purchase Agreement signed by
the City, the City of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Indianapolis Department of Waterworks on
June 30, 2006 (the "Acquired Area").
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Common Council of the City of
Carmel, Indiana, as follows:
Section 1.
The foregoing Recitals are incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2. The Council, after such notice and investigation, has determined that it is
necessary to amend Sections 9-45 (a) and (b), 9-51, 9-52 (d) (5), 9-58, 9-62, and 9-75 (c) of, and
to add Sections 9-44 and 9-75 (d) to, the Carmel City Code, which amended Sections shall read
as follows:
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~ 9-44 Application Fees for Water Service.
The Water Utility shall invoice the owner or person requesting water service as follows for
review of construction drawings, which may include site visits, comment letters, completion of
forms requested by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other
government agencies, and/or a hydraulic capacity. review:
(a) For projects with single commercial, business, and residential fire service
lines: $150.00
(b) For projects with more than one 'customer requmng a water mam
extension: $300.00
~9-45 Service Charge and Installation Fee.
For connection to the City's waterworks system, the following charges and fees shall
apply:
(a) A service charge for each new water account: $20.00
(b) Installation fee for each original direct read water meter installed:
i) 5/8 by 3/4 $77.00 Labor
ii) I inch meters $77.00 Labor
iii) 1.5 inch $83.00 Labor
Iv) 2 inch meter $93.00 Labor
v) Meters larger than 2 inches shall be charged: Actual time and
materials incurred, but not less than $115.00
~ 9-51 Water Meter Pit Accessibility: Inspection
(a) Water meter pits must be in an accessible location so as to allow the easy
reading and inspection of the water meter. No obstructions, impediments or
conditions shall exist on or near the water meter pit that prevent the water meter
from being easily read, replaced, and/or maintained. Prohibited obstructions
include, but are not limited to, shrubbery, flower beds, vehicles or other objects
placed on, across, near or over the water meter pit. Water meters that are located
in-doors must also be readily accessible for easy reading and maintenance.
(b) The water meter pit, piping, and lid are owned by the owner of the
property on which they are located, and such owner is responsible for their safe
and proper condition and their compliance with City specifications. The water
meter is owned and maintained by the City.
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(c) Any contractor or owner who requests a meter pit inspection
and/or meter installation when the meter pit or internal plumbing is not ready,
thus requiring more than one trip to'the site by a City employee or agent, shall be
subject to a subsequent trip fee of $43.00, in addition to all other authorized fees
and charges.
(d) Any person violating this Section shall be subject to a fine of not less than
$100.00 per violation in addition to the discontinuance of City water service until
such time as the meter pit is rendered safe and meets all current City
specifications.
~ 9-52 (d) (5) Cross Connection Control
(a) Before the installation of any land irrigation device or in-ground automatic
sprinkling system, a permit application must be completed and filed with, and a
permit must be obtained from, the Carmel Water Utility. The permit fee shall be
$144.00. The permit application must include a drawing showing the size of the
proposed irrigation system, the point of connection, size of pipes, number of
sprinkling heads, and an estimate of how many gallons the system will use per
sprinkling event, and such other relevant information as the Carmel Water Utility
may require.
(b) Any person who requests an irrigation system inspection when the system
is not ready for inspection, thereby necessitating more than one trip to the site by
a Carmel Utilities employee or agent, is subject to a subsequent trip fee of $43.00,
in addition to all other authorized fees and charges.
~ 9-58 Tapping Fees
(a) When the Carmel Utility is requested to tap a water main, the tap
installation fee shall be $317.00 for each tap up to 2 inches plus the cost of
, material.
(b) The tap inspection fee for individual water main taps shall be $100.00 for
each tap inspected.
(c) Any person requesting a water main tap or tap inspection when the
excavation or related equipment is not ready for inspection, necessitating more
than one trip to the site by a Carmel Utility employee or agent is subject to a
subsequent trip fee of$43.00, in addition to all other authorized fees and charges.
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~ 9-62 Disconnection for Non-Payment: Returned Checks
(a) Water service shall be disconnected from those Carmel City Utility
customers who fail to pay all the accrued fees and late charges on their account
within 60 days of billing. Service will not be reconnected until all fees are paid, in
addition to a reconnect fee. Water service can only be reconnected by a Carmel
Water utility employee. Reconnection during normal working hours shall be
subject to a $43.00 reconnection fee per connection. Reconnection outside of
norma! working hours (M-F 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) is subject to a $130.00
reconnect fee.
(b) A returned check fee of $33.00 shall be charged to any customer who
submits a check for the payment of a water bill that is returned for insufficient
funds, and water service may be disconnected for such customer until proper
payment is made on the account.
(c) No new water service may be provided to any properties owned or
controlled by a customer who has a Carmel City Utility delinquent account
balance that is 60 days or more past due.
~ 9-75 Hydrant Meters
(a) No person shall use or collect Carine! Water Utility water from any fire
hydrant without a metering device approved"by the Carmel Water Utility.
(b) Hydrant meters may be installed on fire hydrants at the discretion of the
Carmel Water Utility when conditions warrant for the purpose of supplying of
water to any site. Such installation shall be supervised by the Carmel Water
Utility.
(c) The deposit fee for hydrant meters shall be:
Hydrant Meters over 1 inch (1 "):
Hydrant Meters up to and including 1 inch (1 "):
$200.00
$75.00
(d) Temporary water users who request water provided through a City-owned
fire hydrant shall pay the following:
Hydrant Meters over 1 inch (1 "): Daily fee of $20.00 plus the water consumed
which shall be charged at the current schedule of water rates.
Hydrant Meters up to and including 1 inch (1 "): Daily fee of $10.00 plus the
water consumed, which shall be charged at the current schedule of water rates.
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(e) A violation of this Section shall be subject to a fine of not less than
$100.00 per violation.
Section 3. All prior Ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent with any term or
provision of this Ordinance are hereby repealed. If anyone or more of terms or provisions of this
Ordinance shall be deemed by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to law, then such
term or provision shall be deemed severable from the remaining terms and shall in no way affect
the validity of the other provisions of this Ordinance.
Section 4. This Council finds that the City's schedule of non-recurring water rates
and charges as amended herein, constitutes a nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just schedule of
water rates and charges for services rendered by the City's waterworks, which fees are required
to maintain the waterworks in the sound physical and financial condition necessary to render
adequate and efficient service.
Section 5. The Board of Public Works shall submit the rates and charges herein
approved to the IURC for approval as required by Indiana Code 98-1.5-3-8. A copy of the
schedule of rates and charges, as approved by the IURC, shall be kept on file and available for
public inspection in the offices of the Board of Public Works.
Section 6. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect 45 days after the date of its
passage, execution by the Mayor and publication in accordance with the laws of the State of
Indiana. The rates and charges herein approved, as they may be adjusted by the IURC, shall be in
full force and effect in accordance with their approval by the IURC. .
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A PASSED by the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana this ~ day of
-4~ ,2007, by a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays.
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COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF C
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..\. Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of Carmel, Indiana this ~ day of
..::::r~ 2007 at .,: 011 , --=f.~M.
Diana L. Cordray, IAMC, Clerk-Tre
-\ Approved by me, Mayor of the City of Carmel, Indiana, this I 'l~ay 0
-.:i~~ 2007, at ,:0'& ,LM.
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ATTEST:
This document was prepared by John Duffy, Utility Director, Cannel Utilities, 760 Third Avenue SW, Carmel. IN 46032
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