City Council Agenda Report
June 18, 2024
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Glen W.C. Kau, P.E., Director of Public Services/City Engineer Jacqueline Koontz, P.E., Senior Civil Engineer
Jana Stuard, Finance Director
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING - RESOLUTION NO. 24-35 - SETTING SEWER SERVICE CHARGE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024/25 AND ORDERING THAT SUCH CHARGE
BE COLLECTED ON THE TAX ROLL
Background:
On June 18, 2013, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 13-1642 establishing sewer service charges to pay for the operation and maintenance of the City’s sewer system, including capital replacement costs. Ordinance No. 13-1642 provided that beginning July 1, 2014, the sewer service charge could be increased annually through July 1, 2018 by an amount equal to the annual increase in the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index for the Los Angeles Area (the “ENRLA”), as of February of each year. The City has not increased the sewer service charges since Fiscal Year 2017/18.
Norwalk Municipal Code (NMC), Chapter 13.14 and the California Health and Safety Code, Article 4 of Chapter 6 of Part 3 of Division 5, Section 5470, affirms that City Council is authorized to levy an annual sewer service charge and to have such charge collected on the property tax roll.
As required by the California Health and Safety Code, each year that the City levies and collects charges on the tax roll, the City must prepare a Sewer Service Charge Roll (Report) that contains a description of each parcel of real property to which the charge is applicable and the amount of the charge for each parcel and must hold a public hearing. The Report is available for public inspection in City Clerk’s Department or may be viewed online on the City’s webpage. As provided in the Report, the proposed charge for each parcel is the amount authorized by NMC Chapter 13.14.020, Section E.
City Council
Resolution No. 24-35 - Sewer Service Charge Fiscal Year 2024/25 June 18, 2024
Page No. 2
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4 On November 21, 2017, City Council voted to continue to levy and collect the sewer service charge with no increase each fiscal year until the City updates its 2015 Sewer Master Plan study and conducts a new sewer service fee study. A Sewer System Management Plan update is nearly complete, and Sewer Master Plan update is currently underway.
Attached Resolution No. 24-35 approves the Report and authorizes the levy of the charge on the property tax roll for FY 2024/25 per Chapter 13.14 of the NMC. Adoption of the attached resolution requires approval by two-thirds of the members of City Council.
Following is a list of projects that the City has recently completed, are in process, and/or scheduled for the next few years using the sewer service fee revenues:
•Project No. 7519 – (90% complete) design and installation of a new Sewer System Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system •Project No. 7520 – (100% complete) design and upgrade of Bloomfield Sewer Lift Station Upgrade Project
•Project No. 7521 – (complete) repaired 57 point locations of sewer mainline under FY 2017/18 Sewer Main Repair Project using various methods •Project No. 7522 – (65% complete) evaluates 450 sewer manholes and repairs selected manholes per NASSCO MACP guidelines
•Project No. 7523 – (10% complete) design and improvement of 12 pipe segments of the sewer system (Phase 4)
•Project No. 7524 - (10% complete) evaluates 300-400 sewer manholes and repairs selected manholes per NASSCO MACP guidelines
•Project No. 7525 – (10% complete) design and improvement of 60 pipe segments of the sewer system (Phase 5 Project)
•Project No. 7527 – (40% complete) Force Main Replacements for two sewer lift stations Fiscal Impact:
The annual fee revenue projected for FY 2024/25 is approximately $2,500,000. The actual amount collected will not be known until after receiving the first installment payments.
Citizens Advised:
Notice of the public hearing regarding the Report and the proposed levy and collection of the charge on the property tax roll was published as required by Section 5473.1 of the Health and Safety Code. The public hearing notice was posted at the City’s three designated posting places and the website on May 23, 2024, and published in The Norwalk Patriot on May 24, 2024 and May 31, 2024.
City Council
Resolution No. 24-35 - Sewer Service Charge Fiscal Year 2024/25 June 18, 2024
Page No. 3
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4 Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council consider adopting Resolution No. 24-35, A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK APPROVING THE ANNUAL SEWER REPORT AND LEVYING AN ANNUAL SEWER SERVICE CHARGE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024/25 PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 13.14 OF THE NORWALK MUNICIPAL CODE AND ORDERING THE
ANNUAL SEWER SERVICE CHARGE TO BE COLLECTED ON THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TAX ROLL.
Attachments:
Resolution No. 24-35