24-2021 - Amend Part 9 to establish Impervious Surface Fee

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Placed on 1st reading & referred to PWS 6/21/21; 2nd reading 7/6/21 Btill Oki(, 1<epple, Litten, Neff, 0"Malley, Rader ORDINANCE NO. 24-2021 AN ORDINANCE to take effect January 1, 2022 amending sections within Part 9, Streets, Utilities and Public Services Code of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood to enact a new impervious surface fee and to establish a tiered rate for large industrial users of water and sewer in the City of Lakewood. WHEREAS, the City of Lakewood through the "Clean Water Lakewood" program is working on modernizing our water and sewer rate structure to fairly bill property owners based on their impact to the sewer system; and WHEREAS the Phase 2 Integrated Wet Weather Improvement Plan document committed to exploring additional methods of charging for service that will improve system equity and revenue stability. Specifically, an impervious -area -based charge assessed to each parcel to help stabilize revenue that is currently impacted by declining water consumption; and WHEREAS, at the Clean Water Lakewood Community conversation in 2019, public input showed support for a fee based on impervious surface area; and WHEREAS, cost of service principles support offering a tiered rate for efficient use of water; and WHEREAS, the City of Lakewood was provided approximately $47 million under the American Rescue Plan legislation, which the Mayor has proposed at least $25,000,000 be directed towards our Integrated Wet Weather Improvement Plan projects. With this direct investment the previously approved water and sewer rates can be reduced to a 4% increase in 2022 and 2023 as a direct benefit to customers; now, therefore BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO: Section 1. That Chapter 902 Charges for Wastewater Disposal and Industrial Pretreatment of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances is hereby renamed Sewer Charges. Section 2. That Section 902.01 Declaration of Intent, of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances, currently reading as follows: 902.01 DECLARATION OF INTENT. These rules, regulations and rates are declared to be necessary for the efficient, economic and safe operation of the City's wastewater disposal system and for the protection of the health, safety and general welfare of the public. The rates and charges hereby imposed are intended to distribute the costs of operation and maintenance of the wastewater disposal system in the most proportionate manner possible upon all users of the wastewater disposal system and in compliance with applicable standards and regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. is hereby repealed.