§ 15-119. Plant investment fees.

(a)

Plant investment fees. All persons connecting to the facilities of the town sewage collection and treatment system shall be required to pay a plant investment fee (PIF) or tap fee which shall be a proportionate share of the capital investment in the cost of the town facilities. The PIF includes an amount for the capital cost of the existing town facilities and an amount for the capital cost of expansion of town facilities.

(b)

Equivalent residential tap. For the purposes of determining the proportion of total flow any user contributes to the system an equivalent residential tap (ERT) unit is established. An ERT shall be the average sewage flow in terms of both quantity and strength originating from any single-family home, mobile home, condominium, townhouse or dwelling unit. From that ERT definition, the schedule for calculating the ERTs for various uses is adopted and attached as Exhibit "A" to the ordinance from which this division derives. This schedule is based upon Colorado Department of Health Guidelines for per capita flow and the town engineer's recommendations concerning loading for the types of uses shown, derived generally, but not exclusively, from a 250 gallons per ERT sewage flow, a five-day average BOD ₅ of 250 ppm and 250 ppm total suspended solids.

(c)

Payment of PIF. Prior to connection of any service line to the town's facilities the PIF shall be paid in full. The amount of the PIF shall be determined by multiplying the total ERTs from the sewer tap application (see subsection 15-115(d)) by the current rate established for each ERT. The town reserves the right to periodically adjust the rate for the purpose of providing sufficient funds for depreciation, expansion and replacement of the town's facilities.

(d)

Transferability. ERTs shall be purchased for a specific property and shall not be transferable to another property. ERTs shall be automatically transferred to successive owners of the same property.

(e)

Expanded use. If any owner at any time expands the ERT use on his property beyond that stated in the sewer tap application for which the owner paid the town, such owner shall apply and pay an additional PIF for such additional ERTs. Such further PIF payment shall be at the rate in effect as of the date of application or date of actual use, whichever is higher, shall be due as of the date of first use and shall bear interest from date of first use until paid at the rate of 12 percent per annum.

(f)

Relinquishment of ERTs. Whenever any person desires to permanently abandoned ERTs (or any portion thereof), such person shall complete and submit to the town a relinquishment form. The form will specify the address and legal description of the property, the number of ERTs being abandoned and shall contain an acknowledgment by the owner that relinquishment constitutes a full and complete surrender of all rights and privileges for the ERTs. Any future sewer use on the property shall require new application and payment of all PIFs, permit fees and related expenses. Upon acceptance of the relinquishment by the town, the ERTs shall be relinquished and no further user charges for the relinquished ERTs shall be assessed.

(Ord. No. 329, § 15-109, 12-18-07)