promptly correct the error and, if required and at the city's sole discretion, either credit the customer account or give the customer a refund.
B. The review conducted by the Director will include consideration of whether to establish a payment plan for the customer to pay any unpaid balance of delinquent account over a reasonable time not to exceed 12 months. Unless otherwise required by this code, the city will not terminate service for customers fully complying with such a payment plan.
C. Water bills must contain information regarding dispute resolution procedures set forth in this chapter.
§ 14.18.090 Repayment plan.
Any customer may request in writing, in the form and manner prescribed by the Director, an extension of the payment period of a bill asserted to be beyond the means of the customer to pay in full within the normal period for payment. The application for a repayment plan must be filed with the Director before the date and time of discontinuance of service as is stated on the discontinuance notice. The Director must review the request for extension of payment and consider the customer's ability to pay, past payment history, and the amount due, and may approve a repayment plan, not to exceed 12 months. Any customer whose request for a repayment plan has resulted in an adverse determination by the Director may appeal the determination within five days to the City Manager, or designee.
§ 14.18.100 Retroactive adjustments.
Retroactive adjustments will be provided to a customer's utility bill when an error in customer billing has occurred. The maximum period for retroactive adjustments is 12 months before the date that the city is first notified in writing, in the form and manner prescribed by the Director, of the error. Any overpayment or under billing adjustments will be included as a credit or charge on the customer's future utility bill(s), unless other arrangements are requested by the customer and approved by the Director.
§ 14.18.110 Proration of charges.
Computations of the flat rate portion of any monthly service charges for less than a full billing cycle, is based on a daily rate. The daily rate will be determined by taking the monthly rate and dividing it by 30. The daily rate is carried to four decimal places. If a customer discontinues service and closes the customer's account, service charges will be computed at the applicable daily rate from the last billing date to the account closing date. Service charges for a new customer will commence on the account opening date. No proration will be made on short term utility service where the service is required for total periods of less than two months. These customers will be charged for two months service.
§ 14.18.120 Meters.
A. When calculating the charges for water, the city will not charge for water use that is less than 100 cubic feet per billing period. Water meters will ordinarily be read approximately every 30 days except for holidays and weekends. Meter readings may also be taken for
any reasonable purpose, as determined by the Director, including, without limitation, change of customer or changes of meter size. If a meter cannot be read or if a meter has not registered or has registered incorrectly, the quantity of water used will be estimated based on the average consumption at the property or substantially similar property during a like period of time.
B. Tampering with or breaking a meter or lock will result in assessment of a penalty consisting of a fixed amount plus expenses and other costs, as determined by the City Council.
§ 14.18.130 Notices.
A. The city will allow every customer at least 19 days from the date a bill was mailed to pay for utility services. The city will not discontinue service for nonpayment of a delinquent account unless the city first gives notice of the delinquency and impending discontinuance at least 10 days before the proposed discontinuance, by means of a notice mailed, postage prepaid, to the customer to whom the service is billed. The 10- day period will commence five days after the termination notice is mailed. The city will make a reasonable attempt to contact an adult person residing at the premises of the utility customer by telephone or personal contact at least 24 hours before any utility service is terminated, except that whenever telephone or personal contact cannot be accomplished, the city will give, either by mail or in person, a notice of discontinuance of service at least 48 hours before discontinuance.
B. The city will make available to its customers who are 65 years of age or older, or who are dependent adults as defined in California law, a third-party notification service.
Should the customers designate a third-party, the city will attempt to notify a person designated by the customer to receive notification when the customer's account is past due and subject to discontinuance. The notification will include information on what is required to prevent discontinuance of service. The residential customer must make a written request for third-party notification on a form provided by the city, and include the written consent of the designated third party. The third-party notification does not obligate the third party to pay the overdue charges nor prevent or delay service termination.
C. Every termination notice must include all of the following information:
1. The name and address of the customer whose account is delinquent.
2. The amount of the delinquency.
3. The date by which payment or arrangements for payment is required in order to avoid discontinuance.
4. The procedure by which the customer may initiate a complaint or request an investigation concerning service or charges.
5. The procedure by which the customer can petition for bill review and appeal.
6. The procedure by which the customer may request a deferred, reduced, or alternative payment schedule, including an amortization of the delinquent charges.
7. The procedure for the customer to obtain information on the availability of financial assistance, including private, local, state, or federal sources, if applicable.
8. The telephone number where the customer may request a payment arrangement or receive additional information from the city.
D. No termination of utility service may occur without compliance with this section. Any service wrongfully discontinued must be restored without charge for the restoration of a service and a notation of the restoration must be mailed to the customer at his or her billing address.
§ 14.18.140 Discontinuance of service.
A. No utility service will be discontinued by the city, by reason of delinquency, on any Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or at any time during which the business offices of the city are not open to the public. The city may not discontinue service for nonpayment of a delinquent account under any of the following situations:
1. During the pendency of an investigation by the city of a customer dispute or complaint, or request for extension of the period for the payment of a bill;
2. When a customer has been granted an extension of the period for payment of a bill, provided the customer keeps the account current as charges accrue in each subsequent billing period;
3. On the certification of a primary care provider that service termination would be life threatening or pose a serious threat to the health and safety of the customer or a member of the customer's household and the customer is financially unable to pay for service within the normal payment period and is willing to enter into a repayment agreement with the city with respect to all charges that the customer is unable to pay before the delinquency.
B. Service will be discontinued if payment has not been received or arrangements made to pay the delinquent bill for any account which is more than 60 days delinquent. If payment is not made within the specified time as identified above or for any other reason relating to nonpayment of an outstanding bill or charge, including, without limitation, checks returned for insufficient funds, credit card denial, or other, similar, type of payment problems, a service charge, in an amount determined by the City Council will be charged and due and payable with respect to each time service is processed for discontinuance.
C. Except as provided in California law, where utility service is shut off, service will not be restored until all required payments (including, without limitation, arrearage, penalties, deposits and service charges) are paid in full. Service will be reinstated only during
regular working hours and only after payment has been received or special payment arrangements were made with the Director.
D. The City Council may, by resolution, adopt a policy for discontinuance of residential water service for nonpayment. Such policy may include, without limitation, additional provisions concerning billing procedures, discontinuance of service, notification procedures, restoration of service, procedures to contest or appeal a water bill, extensions or other alternative payment arrangements, protections available to qualified low-income customers, procedures for becoming a customer of the city under specified circumstances, and related matters. To the extent a policy adopted pursuant to this section conflicts with any provisions of this chapter, the policy will control.
§ 14.18.150 Lien procedures.
A. Annually, the City Manager, or designee, will prepare a complete list of delinquent charges applicable to the service connection where the property owner is the customer for the period ending on January 31 of each calendar year.
B. The city will give at least 45 days’ notice before the public hearing of the delinquencies to the customer to which each such delinquency relates.
C. The City Council will schedule a noticed public hearing for its first meeting in May of each calendar year at which time delinquent charges together with penalties, will be placed on the equalized assessment roll for the fiscal year commencing on the July 1 following the conduct of the hearing for collection. Notice of the public hearing will be made in accordance with California law.
D. Thereafter, the delinquent charges, together with penalties, will be collected in the same manner, by the same persons, and at the same time as, together and not separately from, general taxes collected on behalf of the city and other taxing authorities. The provisions of this section will only be applicable to delinquent charges where the customer is the property owner or has executed a Lien Authorization Agreement.
E. Civil debt: All charges and penalties imposed pursuant to this chapter are civil debts owed to the city by the customer as to the account to which the charges and penalties apply.
§ 14.18.160 Additional customer rights.
When the city furnishes service to residential occupants in a multi-unit residential structure, mobile home park, or permanent residential structures in a labor camp, as described in California law, where the owner, manager, or operator is listed by the city as the customer of record, the city will make a good faith effort to give written notice to the residential occupants at least 10 days before utility service termination regarding the utility account delinquency and utility service termination date. The notice will further inform the residential occupants that they have the right to become customers, to whom the service will then be billed, without being required to pay any amount which may be due on the delinquent account. The city is not required to make service available to the residential occupants unless each residential
occupant agrees to the terms and conditions of service and meets the requirements of law.
However, if one or more of the residential occupants are willing and able to assume responsibility for the entire account to the satisfaction of the Director, or if there is a physical means, legally available to the city, of selectively discontinuing service to those residential occupants who have not met the city's requirements, the city will make service available to those residential occupants who have met those requirements. Any residential occupant who becomes a customer of the city pursuant to this section whose periodic payments, such as rental payments, include charges for water service, where those charges are not separately stated, may deduct from the periodic payment, as provided by California law, each payment period all reasonable charges paid to the city for those services during the preceding payment period.”
SECTION 6: Construction. This Ordinance must be broadly construed to achieve the purposes stated in this Ordinance. It is the City Council’s intent that the provisions of this Ordinance be interpreted or implemented by the City and others in a manner that facilitates the purposes set forth in this Ordinance.
SECTION 7: Enforceability. Repeal of any provision of the Monterey Park Municipal Code does not affect any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred before, or preclude prosecution and imposition of penalties for any violation occurring before this Ordinance’s effective date. Any such repealed part will remain in full force and effect for sustaining action or prosecuting violations occurring before the effective date of this Ordinance.
SECTION 8: Electronic Signatures. This Ordinance may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 9: Severability. If any part of this Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provision or application and, to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are severable.
SECTION 10: Recordation; Validity of Previous Code Sections. If this entire Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, any repeal or amendment of the MPMC or other city ordinance by this Ordinance will be rendered void and cause such previous MPMC provision or other the city ordinance to remain in full force and effect for all purposes.
SECTION 11: Environmental Assessment. The City Council finds that adoption of this Ordinance is exempt from additional review under the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., “CEQA”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et seq., the “CEQA Guidelines”) because, under CEQA Guidelines § 15378, the actions described herein do not constitute a CEQA “project.” Further, under CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3), as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the actions described herein may have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 12: Publication. The City Clerk is directed to certify the passage and adoption of this
Ordinance; cause it to be entered into the City of Monterey Park's book of original ordinances; make a note of the passage and adoption in the records of this meeting; and, within 15 days after the passage and adoption of this Ordinance, cause it to be published or posted in accordance with California law.
SECTION 13: Effective Date. This Ordinance will become effective 30 days after adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MONTEREY PARK THIS __TH DAY OF _______________ 2026.
Elizabeth Yang, Mayor
ATTEST:
Maychelle Yee, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
KARL H. BERGER, CITY ATTORNEY
Joaquin Vazquez, Assistant City Attorney
I, Maychelle Yee, City Clerk of the City of Monterey Park, California, hereby certify that the foregoing was introduced on the __th day of ________, 2026 and duly, passed approved, and adopted by the City Council of Monterey Park at its regular meeting of _______ __, 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this __th day of 2026.
City Clerk of the City of Monterey Park
Staff Report
March 18, 2026
ATTACHMENT 2
Resolution Establishing Wastewater
Discount Rate
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A WASTEWATER DISCOUNT RATE
FOR ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CITY’S LIFELINE PROGRAM.
The City Council does resolve as follows:
SECTION 1: The City Council finds as follows:
A. According to Southern California Edison’s 2024 Annual Report for Low Income Programs with the California Public Utilities Commission, over 544,000 people are enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy program within the urbanized areas of Los Angeles County;
B. Information from the City’s Finance Department shows that there are approximately 674 residential utility customers who currently qualify for the City’s Lifeline program;
C. It is in the public interest for the City to assist persons who already struggle to pay for the cost of living and, in making this determination, the City Council takes particular note of Koire v. Metro Car Wash (1985) 40 Cal.3d 24 and Starkman v. Mann Theaters Corp. (1991) 227 Cal.App.3d 1491.
Accordingly, based upon the findings set forth above, the City Council believes that it has a substantial public interest in adopting this Resolution to give some relief to low-income households;
D. The Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget anticipates the water and wastewater enterprise funds projected interest revenues to be $65,000 and $227,000, respectively;
E. Based upon the interest revenue anticipated by the City budget for the City’s water and wastewater operating fund, the number of customers qualified under the City’s Lifeline program, and the residential water and wastewater rates established by this chapter, a 100% discount of the wastewater charge for customers residing in a single-family dwelling is reasonable. It is estimated that this discount would result in a cost of $181,656.00 per year, which is an amount within the total available (i.e., non-rate payer) interest revenue projected for the water and wastewater enterprise funds;
F. The discount will be applicable only so long as the projected interest revenue of the water and wastewater funds is expected to exceed the total annual cost of such discount, as determined by a financial analysis conducted by the Finance Department. The Finance Department will regularly monitor and assess the projected interest revenue and the impact of the Lifeline discount to ensure the terms of this resolution are continually met;
G. Under its police power (Cal. Const., art. XI, § 7) and its authority to fix rates, charges, and classifications for municipal utility services, it may establish discounted “lifeline” utility rates for income‑qualified customers, provided such discounts are funded from non‑rate‑payer revenues and are reasonable and not arbitrary; and
H. The water and wastewater rates are established by City Ordinance. The most current rates will be utilized to determine the feasibility and discount amount for the discount rate pursuant to MPMC §14.12.185.
SECTION 2: Adoption. Pursuant to MPMC § 14.12.185, the City Council sets a wastewater discount equal to 100% of the wastewater charge for participants in the City’s Lifeline program. This Lifeline wastewater discount supersedes and replaces the Lifeline water discount previously established by Resolution No. 12158.
SECTION 3: Severability. If any part of this Resolution or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provision or application and, to this end, the provisions of this Resolution are severable.
SECTION 4: Electronic Signatures. This Resolution may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 5: Recordation. The Mayor, or presiding officer, is authorized to sign this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City of Monterey Park and the City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, may attest thereto.
SECTION 6: Effective Date. This Resolution will become effective immediately upon adoption and will remain effective unless repealed or superseded.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this ___day of ________, 2026.
________________________________
Elizabeth Yang, Mayor
Attest:
_______________________________
Maychelle Yee, City Clerk
Approved as to Form:
By: ________________________________
Joaquin Vazquez, Assistant City Attorney
Staff Report
March 18, 2026
ATTACHMENT 3
Resolution Setting Water Deposits
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION SETTING WATER SERVICE ACCOUNT DEPOSITS.
The City Council does resolve as follows:
SECTION 1: The City Council finds as follows:
A. Minimum water service deposits were last reviewed and approved by Council in 1992 through Resolution No. 9725;
B. Costs for services have increased substantially and a review of water deposits is essential for the continuity of services; and
C. Pursuant to Section 14.12.020 of the Monterey Park Municipal Code (MPMC), the City Council is authorized to establish minimum deposits for water service accounts by resolution based on meter size.
D. The City Council seeks to increase water deposits by $50 per meter size.
SECTION 2: Adoption. Pursuant to MPMC § 14.12.020, the City Council adopts the following minimum refundable water service account deposits by meter size (reflecting an increase of $50 per meter size from the amounts previously established by Resolution No. 9725)
Size of Meter Amount of Deposit
5/8 inch $ 100.00
3/4 inch $ 100.00
1 Inch $ 115.00
1-1/4 inch $ 130.00
1-1/2 inch $ 180.00
2 Inches $ 250.00
3 Inches $ 300.00
4 Inches $ 450.00
6 Inches $ 735.00
8 inches $ 1,075.00
10 inches $ 1,590.00
12 inches $ 2,360.00
SECTION 3: Severability. If any part of this Resolution or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provision or application and, to this end, the provisions of this Resolution are severable.
SECTION 4: Electronic Signatures. This Resolution may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 5: Recordation. The Mayor, or presiding officer, is authorized to sign this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City of Monterey Park and the City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, may attest thereto.
SECTION 6: Effective Date. This Resolution will become effective immediately upon adoption and will remain effective unless repealed or superseded.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this ___day of ________, 2026.
________________________________
Elizabeth Yang, Mayor
Attest:
_______________________________
Maychelle Yee, City Clerk
Approved as to Form:
By: ________________________________
Joaquin Vazquez, Assistant City Attorney