Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type:
To: City Council
Subject: Ordinance Clarifying Water Connection Fees with Fire Flows Date: June 27, 2023
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council of the City of Cotati conduct a second reading and adopt an ordinance clarifying water connection fees for mixed domestic and fire flow meters.
Background
The California Building Code requires various fire prevention devices in new construction or significant remodels, including fire sprinkler systems. Some types of construction, including single family homes, only have a single water service to each lot serving both domestic uses as well as fire sprinkler systems. Fire sprinkler systems generally require upsizing the water meter to accommodate flows that are only needed during fires. The size of the water meter determines the capacity charge (water connection fee) paid at time of connection.
On June 13, 2023, the City Council unanimously introduced the draft Ordinance at a duly noticed public hearing.
Analysis/Discussion
The water connection impact fee accounts for both domestic and fire flow improvements, based on the domestic demands. However, it is necessary to clarify that the water and sewer connection impact fees should be based on the meter size required to serve the anticipated domestic demands, not the installed meter size if upsized for fire sprinkler flows. The proposed edits are intended to clarify this.
Financial Considerations
The proposed changes for connection fees do not have any financial effect, as they simply clarify the current practice of charging impact fees based on domestic demand when there isn’t a separate fire service.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.