§ 24-434. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply:

City shall mean the City of Cartersville, a municipal corporation of the State of Georgia.

Credit shall mean a conditional reduction in the amount of a stormwater service charge to an individual property based on the provision and continuing presence of an effectively maintained and operational on-site stormwater system or facility or the provision of a service or activity by the ratepayer, which system, facility, service, or activity reduces the stormwater utility's cost of providing stormwater services and facilities.

Detached dwelling unit shall mean developed land containing one (1) structure which is not attached to another dwelling and which contains one (1) or more bedrooms, with a bathroom and kitchen facilities designed for occupancy by one (1) family. Detached dwelling units may include houses, manufactured homes, and mobile homes located on one (1) or more individual lots or parcels of land. Developed land may be classified as a detached dwelling unit despite the presence of incidental structures associated with residential uses such as garages, carports, or small storage buildings, or the presence of a commercial impervious area such as parking spaces, playgrounds, or structures or additions to the building which are used as offices, storage facilities, meeting rooms, classrooms, houses of worship, or similar non-residential uses. Detached dwelling unit shall not include developed land containing: structures used primarily for non-residential purposes, manufactured homes and mobile homes located within manufactured home or mobile home parks where the land is owned by others than the owners of the manufactured homes or mobile homes, or multiple-unit leased residential properties.

Developed land shall mean property altered from its natural state by construction or installation of more than four hundred (400) square feet of impervious surfaces as defined in this chapter.

Director shall mean the Public Works Director of the City of Cartersville or his or her designee.

Duplexes and triplexes shall mean developed land containing two (2) (duplex) or three (3) (triplex) attached residential dwelling units located on one (1) or more parcels of land and shall be treated as detached dwelling units for the purposes of fee calculations.

Equivalent residential unit (ERU) shall mean the approximate median impervious coverage of detached dwelling unit properties in the City of Cartersville as determined by the city, and shall be used as the basis for determining stormwater service charges to detached dwelling unit properties or classes of detached dwelling unit properties and other properties. Three thousand (3,000) square feet of impervious area shall be one (1) equivalent unit.

Impervious surface area shall mean developed areas of land that prevent or significantly impede the infiltration of stormwater into the soil. Typical impervious surface areas include, but are not limited to: Roofs; sidewalks; walkways; patios; swimming pools; private driveways and roads; parking lots; access extensions; alleys and other paved, engineered, compacted or traveled gravel surfaces containing materials that prevent or significantly impede the natural infiltration of stormwater into the soil.

Multiple dwelling unit residential properties shall mean developed land whereon four (4) or more attached residential dwelling units are located and shall include, but not limited to, apartment houses, condominiums, town homes, attached single-family homes, boarding houses, group homes, hotels and motels, retirement centers and other structures in which four (4) or more family groups commonly and normally reside or could reside. In the application of stormwater service charge rates, multiple dwelling unit properties shall be treated as other developed lands except that individually owned units located on individually owned parcels shall be treated as detached dwelling units.

Natural state shall describe existing undeveloped land where the soil and vegetation characteristics that have not been substantially modified or disturbed by human activities and the hydrologic function is in an unaltered or natural condition.

Other developed land shall mean, but shall not be limited to, multiple dwelling unit residential properties, manufactured home and mobile home parks, commercial and office buildings, public buildings and structures, industrial and manufacturing buildings, storage buildings and storage areas covered with impervious surfaces, parking lots, parks, recreation properties, public and private schools and universities, research stations, hospitals and convalescent centers, airports, agricultural uses covered by impervious surfaces, water reservoirs, and water and wastewater treatment plants.

Public stormwater management system means any one (1) or more of the various devices used in the collection, treatment, or disposition of storm, flood or surface drainage waters, including all manmade structures or natural watercourse for the conveyance or transportation of runoff, such as: detention areas, berms, swales, improved watercourses, open channels, bridges, gulches, streams, gullies, flumes, culverts, gutters, pumping stations, pipes, ditches, siphons, catch basins and street facilities; all inlets; collection, drainage or disposal lines; intercepting sewers; disposal plants; outfall sewers; all pumping, power, and other equipment and appurtenances; all extension, improvements, remodeling, additions, and alterations thereof; and any and all rights or interests in such stormwater facilities. Stormwater facilities expressly excludes any of the foregoing which exist for, or are used exclusively for the purpose of collection, treating, measuring, supplying, or distributing potable water within or as part of the city water supply and treatment system, or any of the foregoing which exist for or are used exclusively for the purpose of collecting, treating, or measuring effluent within or as part of the city sanitary sewer system, or any of the foregoing that is located on private property and do not contain significant runoff that originates on public property.

Ratepayer shall mean the individual or entity receiving the utility bill for the property; whether the owner, tenant, occupant or other individual or entity. In the event a property does not receive a utility bill, the city shall bill the owner or other designated individual or entity as may be approved by the city. However the city shall receive the bill for all city owned property regardless of whose name the utility bill is in.

Service area shall mean all land within the corporate limits of the City of Cartersville, including all land areas legally annexed thereto.

Service charges shall mean the stormwater management service charge or charges applicable to a parcel of developed land, which charge shall be reflective of the City of Cartersville stormwater utility's cost of providing stormwater management services and facilities. Service charges will be based on measured or estimated impervious area on each parcel of developed land. The use of impervious area as a service charge rate parameter shall not preclude the use of other parameters, or of grouping of properties having similar characteristics through the use of ranges or rounding up or down to a consistent numerical interval, or the use of flat-rate charges for one (1) or more classes of similarly-situated properties whose impact on the stormwater utility's cost of providing stormwater management services and facilities is relatively consistent. Stormwater service charges may also include special charges to individual customers for services or facilities related to stormwater management, including but not limited to charges for development plan review, inspection or development projects and on-site stormwater control systems, and enhanced levels of stormwater services above those normally provided by the city.

Stormwater utility shall mean the division of the public works department that is the stormwater utility.

(Ord. No. 74-06, § 1, 11-2-06)