Petaluma Municipal Code Ch. 15.40 Construction or Placement of Sewage FACILITIES1

1 Editor’s Note: For statutory provisions authorizing cities to construct and maintain sewers, see Gov. Code

§38900.

Sanitary sewer lines and lines proposed for construction by individuals or groups shall be of the size necessary to

handle sewage from the entire area contributory to the line when that area is developed to ultimate population

density, as determined by the city. (Ord. 2282 NCS §3, 2007.)

Applications for sewer main extensions shall be made at the oYce of the city community development

department. If the applicant is permitted to proceed with the sewer main extension and installation, the applicant

shall install the same at its own cost or expense. However, when the sewer main extension will be of beneWt to

properties other than that owned by the applicant, by means of an agreement with the city, a portion of the costs

may be refunded as determined by the city council. (Ord. 2282 NCS §3, 2007.)

An applicant for a sewer main extension who installs a sewer main extension of beneWt to properties other than

that owned by applicant may be entitled to be reimbursed for costs incurred in an amount not to exceed the

actual cost of installation. The applicant desiring to be reimbursed shall petition the city council in writing for an agreement whereby costs may be reimbursed. The petition shall set forth in reasonable detail the reasons for the

request for reimbursement, a statement of actual costs incurred and such other matters as may be required by

the city council. (Ord. 2282 NCS §3, 2007.)

The applicant desiring to be reimbursed for cost incurred by reason of the installation of a sewer main extension

to serve a subdivision to be constructed by the applicant, and the sewer main is or will be of beneWt to properties

outside the subdivision, may be reimbursed, at the discretion of the city council. (Ord. 2282 NCS §3, 2007.)

Any agreement executed by the city with an applicant for reimbursement shall set forth therein the following:

A. The method by which the applicant shall be reimbursed; that is, waiver of connection fees, collection of fees,

or combination of waiver of connection fees and collection of fees for the equitable distribution of costs for the

beneWt of the city and applicant.

B. An agreed statement as to the actual cost incurred.

C. In the event the city has determined that reimbursement shall be made by means of collection of connection

fees, that the reimbursement shall be paid once yearly without interest over a period of not more than three

years. At the expiration of three years or earlier as established by the agreement, no further reimbursements shall

be made to the applicant and all charges levied and collected thereafter shall belong to the city.

D. The applicant for reimbursement shall not be reimbursed for more than the actual cost of the line, nor shall

he be reimbursed for any costs incurred within or attributable to his own property. Reimbursements shall not

apply to on-site improvements to subdivisions or organized service districts. A subdivider may be entitled to

reimbursement for o[-site main extensions located outside the subdivision or tract. The city shall determine what

are o[-site sewer main extensions.

E. Such other reasonable terms and conditions as the director of water resources and conservation may from

time to time require.

(Ord. 2282 NCS §3, 2007.)

All sewer laterals shall be constructed at the sole cost of the applicant. All sewer laterals are owned by the

property owner to the sewer main and through the city right-of-way including the connection at the main. All sewer laterals shall be maintained by the property owner to prevent inXow and inWltration. (Ord. 2282 NCS §3,

2007.)

All sewer mains located outside of city right-of-way or city easements shall be constructed and maintained by the

property owners served by said main(s) to prevent inXow and inWltration. (Ord. 2402 NCS §2, 2011.)

The division of water resources and conservation is authorized to inspect any public or private lateral connection

to the public sewer system in accordance with adopted city standards. The lateral is deWned as the connecting

piping infrastructure, or pretreatment facilities, from the building’s foundation to the public sewer system that

conveys sanitary sewage from the building to the city sewer. (Ord. 2402 NCS §2, 2011.)