Arcata Municipal Code Art. 2 Use of Potw Required, Sewer Construction in General

A. General Requirement. Subject to the exceptions stated in this Section, all buildings within the City of Arcata shall be connected to the POTW whenever a public sewer is located within three hundred (300) feet of the nearest point of any property line for the property on which the building is located and the building is located within one thousand (1,000) feet of the public sewer. Buildings shall be connected to the POTW at the property owner’s expense in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter no more than sixty (60) days after receipt by the property owner of written notice from the City. Notice shall be deemed received by the owner if the owner is served by personal delivery or three (3) business days after mailing to the last known address of the owner, or if none, to the address as it appears on the rolls of the Humboldt County Tax Collector.

B. Exceptions. The following exceptions to the requirement that all buildings be connected to the POTW apply:

1. Existing Systems. Users with operable on-site private sewers may maintain and continue to utilize the private sewer until such time as either of the following conditions occur:

a. Failure of the on-site private sewer has occurred or is imminent, as determined by the City based on the OTWS Policy; or

b. New expansion or construction on the property exceeds the existing private sewer’s capacity, as determined by the City based on the OTWS Policy.

2. New On-Site Private Sewers. The City may permit construction of new on-site private sewers on parcels zoned Forest Hillside, Rural Residential, Natural Resources and Agriculture Exclusive or on parcels in any zone that exceed two and one-half (2 1/2) acres in size, based on criteria as reasonably established by the City consistent with the OWTS Policy.

C. On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Inspection Program. The City Council shall adopt by resolution a mandatory on-site wastewater treatment system inspection program for all properties not connected to the POTW. The purpose of the inspection program is to document the existence and condition of existing private sewers and to provide guidance to the City about public sewer extension throughout the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

No unauthorized person shall perform any work on, uncover, make any connection with or opening into, use, or disturb the POTW or any building sewer or construct any building or lateral sewer without first obtaining written permission from the City and paying all applicable fees and charges. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

A. There shall be two (2) kinds of sewer connection permit applications: (1) for domestic users; and (2) for industrial users. Any person legally entitled to apply for and receive a sewer connection permit shall make such application on forms provided by the City, describe the character of the work proposed to be done and the location, ownership, occupancy and use of the property and building in connection therewith. The City may require plans, specifications or drawings and such other information as he/she may deem necessary.

B. The City shall issue the sewer connection permit upon payment of the required fees and determination that the plans, specifications, drawings, descriptions or information furnished by the applicant are in compliance with the ordinances, rules and regulations of the City.

C. After issuance of a sewer connection permit, no change may be made in the location of the sewer, the grade, materials, or other details from those described in the permit or as shown on the plans and specifications for which the permit was issued except with written permission from the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

The applicant’s signature on an application for any sewer connection permit shall constitute an agreement to comply with all of the provisions, terms and requirements of this Chapter and all other applicable ordinances, rules and regulations of the City, and with the plans and specifications filed with the application, if any, together with such corrections or modifications as may be made or permitted by the City, if any. The terms and conditions of the sewer connection permit shall be binding upon the applicant and may be amended only in writing by the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

A. All Work to Be Inspected. All sewer construction work shall be inspected by the City to ensure compliance with City requirements. No sewer may be covered nor connected to the public sewer until the sewer connection work has been approved by the City. If the City determines that the work is satisfactory, the City shall issue a certificate of satisfactory completion. If the City determines that the work is unsatisfactory, the owner of the property shall promptly complete or repair the work, or cause completion or repair of the work, in accordance with all permit requirements and applicable ordinances, rules and regulations.

B. Notification for Inspection. It shall be the responsibility of the person doing the work authorized by the sewer connection permit to notify the City in writing that the work is ready for inspection. Such notification shall be given not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the work is to be inspected. It shall be the responsibility of the person doing the work to make sure that the work will withstand the tests required by the City before giving the above notification. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of any sewer or other work for which a sewer connection permit has been issued shall be borne by the applicant. Such costs shall include costs expended by the City for the installation of lateral sewers, if any. The applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless the City from loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be caused by work performed by the City for the benefit of the applicant. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

Owners intending to excavate in any public highway, road, street, avenue, alley, way, public place, public easement or right-of-way for the purpose of installing sewers or making sewer connections must obtain a separate excavation permit from the City and any other permit as may be required. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

If work under a sewer connection permit is not commenced within six (6) months after the date of issuance or if work is discontinued at any time for a period of one (1) year or more, the sewer connection permit shall automatically become void. Additional work may be commenced only after issuance of a new sewer connection permit. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

The permit holder for any sewer construction activity shall maintain such barriers, lights and signs as necessary to give warning to the public at all times that a sewer is under construction and of each dangerous condition to be encountered as a result thereof. The applicant shall additionally protect the public in the use of the sidewalk against any such conditions in connection with the construction of the sewer. Streets, sidewalks, parkways and other property disturbed in the course of the work shall be reinstalled in manner satisfactory to the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)