12-10-2001 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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OROINANCi: NO..SECOND SERIES AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ORONO CITY CODE TO ESTABLISH A STORM WATER DRAINAGE UTILITY AND USER CILARGES FOR THE STORM WATER AND DRAINAGE UTILITY THE CITY OF ORONO, MINNESOTA DOES ORDAIN: SECTION I. The following language is hereby added to ihe Orono City Code as Section 3.21- Rules and Regulations Relating to the Storm Water and Drainage Utility with ordinance to become effective January 1. 2002 with charges consistent with Section 3 applicable to all affected properties. Section I. Storm Sewer System: Statu* <rv Authority. Minnesota Statutes. Section 444.075, authorizes cities to impose just and reasonable charges for the use and availability of storm sewer facilities ("charges"). By this section, the city elects to exercise such authority. Section 2. Findings and Determinations. In providing for such charges, the findings and determinations set out in this subsection are made. a. In the exercise of its govenuncntal authority and in order to promote Ihe public health, safety, convenience and general welfare, the city has constructed, operated and mainiained a stomi sewer system ("the sy stem"). This section is adopted in the further exercise of such authority and for the .same purpose. b. The sy stem, as constructed, heretofore has been financed and paid for throui;h the imposition of special assessment:} and ad \alorem la.xes. Such financing methixls were appropriate to the circumstances at the time they were used. It is now necessary and desirable to provide an alternative method of recovering si'me or all of the future costs of improving, maintaining and operating the system through the imposition of charges as pros ided in this section. c. In imposing charges, it is necessary' to establish a methodology that undertakes to make them just and equitable. Taking into account, the status of completion of the system, past methods of recovering sy stem costs, the topography of the city' and other relevant factors, it is determined that it would be just and equitable to assign responsibility for some or all of the future costs of operating, maintaining and improving the sy stem on the basis of the expected storm water runoft from the various parcels of land w ithin the city during a standard 5-year rainfall event. d. Assigning costs and .taking charges based upon expected typical storm water runolT cannot be done vMth mathematical precision but cm only be accomplished within reasonable and practical limits. The pro\isions of this section undertake to establish a reasonable and practicable methodology for making such charges. Page 1 of 4