Sec. 138-326. Service connection fee.
(a) A service connection fee for the privilege of tapping or connecting to the sanitary sewer system of the city and includes a sewer interceptor development fee for extension of sewer interceptor facilities is established and imposed, which fee shall be payable as follows:
(1) Multi-family single-family attached, single-family detached, and commercial users shall be charged a service connection fee in accordance with the following schedule:
Applicable to fees paid on or after January 1, 2024:
Single-Family Detached | Single-Family Attached | Multi-Family | |
|---|---|---|---|
Service Connection Fee | $4,452 | $2,449 per unit | $2,271 per unit |
Water Tap Size Inches | Commercial Service Connection Fee |
|---|---|
¾ | $8,904 |
1 | $21,370 |
1½ | $48,972 |
2 | $89,040 |
3 | $191,436 |
4 | $382,872 |
6 and larger |
*Service connection fees for non-single-family units shall have the single-family residential equivalent determined through the size of the meter serving the building and as specified by the estimated quantities of flow (Q), bacterial oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solids (SS) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) discharged to the system per the metro wastewater reclamation district rules and regulations.
(2) Whenever, with regard to any real property for which a sanitary sewer service connection fee has been paid to the city, a water meter is replaced by the installation of a larger water meter, an additional fee shall be payable. Said fee shall be calculated by subtracting the amount of the current sanitary sewer service connection fee based on the size of the replaced water meter from the amount of the current sanitary sewer service connection fee based on the size of the replacement water meter. No alteration in or expansion of the use of any real property for which property a sanitary sewer service connection fee has been paid to the city shall necessitate the payment of an additional or new sanitary sewer service connection fee, unless such alteration or expansion requires the installation of a larger water meter.
(3) Any aggrieved commercial or industrial user may present facts regarding the use of their property which demonstrate the lack of a reasonable correlation between the size of their water tap and their demands upon the sewer system. Such facts shall be presented to the general manager, who may reduce the amount of the service connection fee payable under this section in order to mitigate those situations that would otherwise result in gross unfairness. An informal hearing may be held for the purpose of appealing the decision of the general manager to the city manager or designee, who shall render a decision based upon the standard of mitigating those situations that would otherwise result in gross unfairness, and whose decision is final.
(4) Whenever a contract is approved for the acceptance of sanitary sewer discharge from sources arising outside of the city limits, such contract, in addition to the regular service connection fee, shall also contain a provision for the payment to the city of not less than 15 percent of the current service connection fee of the city for each tap added to the system generating sewage flows outside of the city after the execution of the agreement.
(5) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the same meanings ascribed to them as in section 138-221: "single-family detached," "single-family attached," "multi-family," "commercial," and "industrial" user. For purposes of this section, the term "water tap" shall not include irrigation water taps.
(b) Payment of the service connection fee shall be paid in full prior to application for a building permit. Payment of such fee shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. The amount of such fee shall be calculated according to the fee schedule in effect at the time payment is made. If the building permit is canceled or expires, credit for the service connection fees already paid to the city will be applied toward the fee schedule in effect at the time the new building permit is issued. Upon request of the service connection applicant, the general manager may authorize the application of funds previously paid for service connection fees for one property to service connection fees for a substitute property; provided, that either properties have the same ownership or the owner of the property where the credit was originally applied provides to the city a request for the transfer and a written release of any claim to the previously paid funds. Such transfer may only occur after the issuance of a building permit for the substitute property. Payment of any deficiency between the transferred funds amount and the fee amount in effect at the time the payment is made will be required prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Such transfer may only be approved when the city manager, in consultation with Aurora Water, determines that such transfer is consistent with the operational efficiency of the utility system. This authorization does not grant authority to reduce, waive, defer, or assume water service connection fees. (Code 1979, § 39-115; Ord. No. 2023-55, § 3, 11-27-2023; Ord. No. 2023-44, § 33, 9-11-2023; Ord. No. 2022-62, § 3, 11-14-2022; Ord. No. 2021-57, § 3, 11-8-2021; Ord. No. 2019-83, § 2, 11-4-2019; Ord. No. 2018-57, § 8, 10-29-2018; Ord. No. 2017-51, § 3, 10-30-2017; Ord. No. 2012-43, § 1, 10-29-2012; Ord. No. 2011-36, § 2, 11-14-2011; Ord. No. 2010-38, § 1, 9-8-2010; Ord. No. 2009-15, § 2, 4-13-2009; Ord. No. 2006-65, § 3, 11-13-2006; Ord. No. 2006-16, § 1, 3-20-2006; Ord. No. 2005-74, § 1, 10-10-2005; Ord. No. 2005-02, § 2, 2-7-2005; Ord. No. 2003-04, § 2, 1-27-2003; Ord. No. 2002-65, § 2, 11-18-2002; Ord. No. 2000-139, § 2, 12-18-2000; Ord. No. 96-70, § 1, 12-30-1996)