Good afternoon, additional information received as public comment for tonight’s City Council meeting attached. Thank you.
Tina Knapp, MMC
Assistant City Clerk
Signal Hill City Hall
2175 Cherry Ave. Signal Hill CA 90755
O: 562-989-7305 | [email protected]
www.cityofsignalhill.org
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Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 1:41 PM
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Abraham "The Unicorn" Chira
Signal Hill, CA
90755
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Subject: Re: Submission for City Council Consideration & Public Record Inclusion Thank you...
Abraham "The Unicorn" Chira
Signal Hill, CA
90755
Draft Ordinance Language – Chapter 13.04 Amendment
Title 13 WATER AND SEWER SERVICE
Chapter 13.04 WATER SERVICE CHARGES
13.04.140 Meter Demand-Based Service-Charge Adjustment
A. Purpose. This section establishes a no-cost, homeowner-initiated procedure that allows a single-family residence served by a one-inch domestic meter to be billed at the monthly service-charge rate for a three-quarter-inch (¾″) meter when its actual domestic demand is equivalent to that of a ¾″ service. The intent is to eliminate an unwarranted financial burden while keeping charges strictly proportional to the City’s cost of service, in compliance with Article XIII D of the California Constitution (Proposition 218).
B. Definitions.
1. Domestic Demand – The maximum probable simultaneous demand for indoor, non-fire-flow purposes expressed in gallons per minute (gpm), calculated in accordance with the International Plumbing Code fixture-unit methodology or another engineering standard approved by the Director of Public Works.
2. Average Monthly Usage – The arithmetic mean of the metered water consumed by the parcel during the preceding twelve (12) complete billing cycles, expressed in hundreds of cubic feet (HCF).
3. Equivalency Threshold – A Domestic Demand not exceeding twenty-five (25) gpm, which is the rated capacity of a ¾″ meter (≈ 3.34 HCF per hour).
4. HCF (Hundred Cubic Feet) – A billing unit equal to one hundred cubic feet of water (one HCF ≈ 7.48 gallons per cubic foot × 100 = 748 gallons).
Reference Conversion: Fifteen (15) HCF ≈ 11,220 gallons.
C. Eligibility. A parcel served by a one-inch domestic meter shall qualify for the adjusted service-charge rate when all the following conditions are met:
1. The parcel contains a single-family dwelling.
2. The owner demonstrates, by one of the methods in subsection D.1, that its Domestic Demand is equivalent to or less than the Equivalency Threshold or that its Average Monthly Usage does not exceed fifteen (15) HCF.
3. The account is not delinquent in any water-service charges, penalties, or fees.
D. Application Procedure.
1. Choice of Demonstration Method. The owner may establish eligibility by submitting one of the following: a. Fixture-Count Worksheet – A completed worksheet showing fixture units sufficient to document Domestic Demand at or below twenty-five (25) gpm; or b. Consumption History – Twelve (12) consecutive billing cycles of meter data evidencing an Average Monthly Usage of fifteen (15) HCF or less; or c. Domestic Flow Test – A flow test performed by the City, at no charge to the applicant, demonstrating that domestic flow does not exceed twenty-five (25) gpm.
2. The owner shall file an application on a City-supplied form, accompanied by the documentation described in paragraph 1.
3. The Director may schedule a single, no-fee site inspection to verify the information provided.
4. The Director shall approve or deny the application in writing within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of a complete application.
E. Effect of Approval.
1. Beginning with the first full billing cycle after approval, the account shall be billed the ¾″ monthly service-charge rate set forth in Section 13.04.130.
2. Volumetric (commodity) charges remain unchanged and shall continue to be calculated per Section 13.04.130.
3. The adjustment shall remain in force until revoked under subsection H.
F. Fees. There shall be no application fee for a first-time request. The City Council may, by resolution, establish a reasonable re-inspection fee for applications submitted within five (5) years of a prior denial or revocation.
G. Cost-of-Service Finding. Approval under this section constitutes a finding that the parcel’s use of the water system is no greater than that of a ¾″ meter customer and therefore the adjusted charge is proportionate to the cost of service.
H. Revocation.
1. The Director may revoke an adjustment if: a. The parcel no longer satisfies the criteria in subsection C; or b. The approval was obtained through material misrepresentation.
2. Prior to revocation, the City shall provide written notice and an opportunity for the owner to respond in accordance with Section 13.04.210.
I. Appeal. A decision under this section may be appealed to the City Council within fifteen (15) days of mailing of the decision. The Council’s decision shall be final.
J. No Waiver of Building or Fire-Code Requirements. Nothing herein waives or alters any requirement of the California Residential Code, the California Fire Code, or this Municipal Code concerning meter sizing or fire-flow.
Editor’s Note: This section is intended to mirror the style and numbering conventions of existing Chapter 13.04 and shall be added in numerical sequence upon codification.