Ventura Municipal Code Ch. 22.210 Sewer Connections

A. Applicability of Chapter. All sewer connections shall be made pursuant to this chapter.

B. Definitions.

“Commercial” means all types of nongovernmental commercial uses, including hospitals, hotels, motels and rooming houses.

“Cost of construction” includes the acquisition of rights-of-way, easements, or real property necessary for the performance of work in connection with the construction of sewage facilities. It also includes engineering and incidental costs of not to exceed 10 percent of an accepted bid price for the performance of such work.

“Department” means the water division of the public works department.

“Industrial” means any nongovernmental user of publicly owned treatment works identified in the Standard Management Classification Manual, 1972, Federal Office of Management and Budget as amended and supplemented, under the following divisions:

a. Division A: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.

b. Division B: Mining.

c. Division C: Manufacturing.

d. Division E: Transportation, Communication, Electric, Gas and Sanitary Services.

e. Division I: Services.

“Intercepting sewer” means a collecting sewer having a capacity greater than that specified in this subsection B and which intercepts and collects the sewage from a number of lateral, branch or main public sewers.

“Lot” means land of less than two acres in area and held under separate ownership and occupied or to be occupied by a building or unit group of buildings, together with such yards, open spaces, lot width and lot area as are required by Title 8, and having its principal frontage on a street.

“Main sewer” means a public sewer having the capacity of a pipe or conduit eight inches in diameter at a grade of four-tenths percent.

“Mixed-use customer” means combined uses served by a single water meter including residential, commercial, and industrial uses.

“Multiple-family residential dwelling” means a building, or portion thereof, containing more than one dwelling unit, including row, group, court or trailer park dwellings, but does not include hotels, motels and rooming houses.

“Multiple-family residential water customer” means a water customer who lives in a dwelling unit which is designed exclusively for occupancy by two or more individuals and/or families living independently of each other.

“Municipal facility” means any public park, public building or other public place owned or leased by the city of San Buenaventura and operated by the city, excluding therefrom the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility.

“On-site intercepting sewer” means an intercepting sewer located on, directly in front of, to the rear of, or at the side of a parcel of land to be connected to the public sewer.

“On-site main sewer” means a main sewer located on, directly in front of, to the rear of, or at the side of a parcel of land to be connected to the public sewer.

“Outlet sewer charge” means a fee assessed to cover the cost of a fair and proportionate share of those facilities such as intercepting sewers not on or immediately adjacent to the property to be connected, sewage treatment plants and similar facilities that benefit said property.

“Public sewer” means any sewer which has been constructed in a public street, alley, walk, or other public place, or in an easement, and which is a part of the city sewerage system.

“Single-family residential dwelling unit” means a suite of one or more rooms which is occupied by or intended to be occupied by one family and is served by an individual water meter.

“Superintendent” means the head of the division. (Code 1971, § 4651; Ord. No. 2005-008, § 1, 10-24-05)

A. Required. No person shall connect to the city sewerage system without written permit from the city engineer.

B. Additional Requirements.

1. Charge for Work by City. Applicants shall pay an amount determined by the city engineer to cover the cost of any work to be done by the city in making the connection and the cost of any necessary repair of the streets.

2. Additional Charges. Where applicable, property owners shall pay the connection fee required by Section 22.210.030, refund agreement charges required by Section 22.210.030(C)(3), assessment district charges required by Section 22.210.030(D), and the prorated cost of sewerage lift stations, force mains, unusual structures and the additional facilities as determined by the city engineer pursuant to Section 22.210.030(G).

3. Work by Property Owners. Such property owners shall construct or provide for the construction of sewage facilities required by this chapter.

4. Sewers of Larger Capacity. Where applicable, intercepting sewers larger than those required to service the property immediately concerned may be required.

5. Sewage Lift Stations and Force Mains. Where the city engineer determines that a lift station and force main are necessary to properly service an area, parcel, tract or subdivision, such facilities may be required.

6. Subdivision Tentative Maps.

a. Where property is included within a tentative map, adequate sewage facilities shall be provided by the subdivider at the subdivider’s own expense within or adjacent to the tract to serve each lot before any paving is placed. Sewage facilities of greater capacity than that required to service the property immediately concerned may be required within or adjacent to the tract whenever good planning and engineering practice require it. The subdivider shall pay the subdivider’s pro rata share of the cost of such larger facilities. When a sewer over the capacity of a main sewer is required for the benefit of property outside the map area, the subdivider need pay no more than the equivalent cost of a main sewer. Equivalent cost shall be determined as provided in Section 22.210.030(F).

b. Approval, Conditions. Unless otherwise exempt, all tentative map approvals shall be conditioned upon payment of the charges specified in subsection (B)(2) of this section. Such charges shall be paid for the entire area within the tentative map prior to the recording of a final map for any portion of the tract.

7. Property Owner to Maintain Sewer Lines. All laterals and house sewer lines from the public sewer to private property, including the wye or saddle at the public sewer, shall be maintained at the expense of the property owner.

C. Sewer Location. All sewer mains shall be installed in dedicated streets, alleys or easements accepted by the city. Sewer mains shall be installed in easements only when it would not be in the interest of the city to accept dedication of a street or alley in the particular location and when the city engineer determines that the slope of the terrain makes location in an easement advisable.

D. Sewage Facilities Are Property of City. All public sewers, sewage lift stations, and similar facilities constructed pursuant to this chapter shall be the property of the city.

E. Standards for Sewage Facilities. Every connection to a public sewer and all facilities constructed pursuant to this chapter shall be accomplished according to standards approved by the city.

F. Rules and Regulations. The council may, by resolution, adopt reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (Code 1971, § 4652; Ord. No. 2005-008, § 2, 10-24-05)

A. Amount. A sewer connection fee shall be paid for any connection to public sewers where the real property is tributary to the city sewerage system and capable of being served by existing sewers or by construction of a main or intercepting sewer in accordance with this chapter. New applicants for service shall pay a connection fee based on water meter size and capacity according to the following table:

The sewer connection fee for each approved additional unit served by an existing master meter shall be 75 percent of the fee for a single-family dwelling unit with a three-fourths-inch water meter. The city manager shall, at the beginning of each fiscal year, determine the percentage by which the connection fee schedule shall be increased. The fee shall be increased in accordance with the annual percentage increase in construction costs which has been established and published in the Engineering News-Record. The percentage increase shall take effect automatically as of July first of each year.

B. Sewerage System Improvement Activity. Payments made hereunder shall be deposited in the sewerage system improvement activity. Such account may be used for the following purposes:

1. Cost of replacement or preservation of the functional value of all capital facilities;

2. Cost of expansion and improvement of treatment works except pipelines smaller than 12 inches in diameter and appurtenances thereto;

3. Grantee’s share of any grant funded treatment works;

4. Bond principal payments for bond issues to the extent that the proceeds of the bond issues were used to pay the grantee’s share of construction costs on grant funded treatment works or to pay the construction costs of nongrant funded treatment works except pipelines or laterals smaller than 12 inches in diameter.

C. Sewage Facilities, Construction. Where property desiring a connection is tributary to the city sewerage system and when existing development or trends justify it, the council may authorize the construction of sewers and other facilities to service the property if it finds it is in the best interests of the city to do so. Actual construction may be by the city or the property owner pursuant to subsection E of this section. In the council’s discretion, dependent upon the circumstances of each case, the cost of construction may be authorized as follows:

1. By Owner. Payment shall be made by the property owner where the benefit is substantially limited to their property.

2. Sewer Service Area, City Construction. If funds are available, the city may install trunk sewers and other facilities of general benefit to the city. The city manager shall determine the sewer service area which will benefit from such work. Before such work is done, the city will determine the amount to be charged to all benefiting property owners so that the city will be compensated for all costs and expenses incurred in financing the installation of the facilities. This amount shall be paid by the property owner before connection to the sewer or the filing of a final subdivision map and shall be in addition to all other charges prescribed by the chapter.

3. Refund Agreement. Payment may be made by the property owner subject to an agreement by the city to refund that part of the cost of construction benefiting other properties if the said properties pay their contributions within 15 years. The provisions of this section allowing for reimbursement over a 15-year period shall apply only with respect to reimbursement agreements entered into on or after April 15, 1989.

D. Assessment Districts. The council may form an assessment district to pay for installation of public sewers, sewage lift stations, force mains and sewage treatment plants where needed, if it finds that the public interest and convenience so require.

E. Construction of Sewage Facilities by Property Owner. The city may contract with a property owner for installation of intersecting sewers, sewage lift stations, or other sewage facilities in order to make a connection to the city sewerage system. Plans and specifications shall be prepared by the property owner’s engineer and approved by the city engineer. The method for payment of the cost of construction and the determination of the actual cost thereof shall be determined pursuant to Section 22.210.010(B) and subsections D and G of this section.

F. Actual Cost of Construction, Determination. Where the share of the city in the cost of construction is less than $2,000, the actual or equivalent cost of construction of sewage facilities installed pursuant to Section 22.210.020(B)(6) and subsection E of this section shall be determined by the city engineer. In the determination of such cost, the city engineer shall use as a guide the lowest of at least three balanced bona fide bids on plans covering alternate sizes of pipe which have been obtained from contractors properly licensed by the state. Where the actual expenditure for construction by the property owner is less than such bids, the actual cost shall be adjusted accordingly.

Where the city share exceeds $2,000, the actual cost shall be determined from sealed bids, received and opened by the council after publicly advertising therefor.

G. Prorated Costs of Additional Facilities. Immediately after completion of construction the city engineer shall prorate the entire cost of lift stations, force mains, unusual structures and other additional facilities against all property that may ultimately be benefited by direct connection to or use of said facilities in proportion to the area of the property or in such other manner as to provide an equitable distribution of the costs of such additional facilities. In no event shall any owner of property benefited be allowed to connect thereto without first paying the prorated charge. (Code 1971, § 4653; Ord. No. 2003-009, § 2, 9-15-03; Ord. No. 2005-008, § 3, 10-24-05)

A. Prior Payment. Where a property owner submits satisfactory proof that the property has paid special assessments or has contributed toward the cost of the public sewer to which the property may connect directly or indirectly, such owner shall be exempt from the charges specified in Section 22.210.020(B)(2).

B. Prior Contract. Where a property owner submits satisfactory proof of an express contract with the city entitling the property owner to connect their property to the city sewerage system upon payment of a fixed or otherwise determinable sum of money, such property owner shall be exempt from the charges specified in Section 22.210.020(B)(2) upon payment of said sum.

C. Governmental Agencies. The council may exempt property owned by governmental agencies for good cause from the charges specified in Section 22.210.020(B)(2) upon the payment of such charges as may be determined by the council.

D. Refunds. If the charges specified in Section 22.210.020(B)(2) have been paid by the property owner prior to entering into a contract with the city pursuant to Section 22.210.030(E) or prior to submission by the property owner of evidence justifying exemption from or reduction of the charge for the property in accordance with this chapter, the city may authorize the refund of all or part of such charges upon timely application therefor. (Code 1971, § 4654; Ord. No. 2005-008, § 4, 10-24-05)