2015/04/14 City Council Resolution 2015-075RESOLUTION NO. 2015 -075
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING THE INTERPRETATION SECTION 4 OF
ORDINANCE NO. 837 TO ALLOW THE CHARGES FOR RESIDENTIAL
WASTEWATER SERVICE TO BE CALCULATED USING THE LOWER VALUE OF
THE WINTER AVERAGES FOR FY 12/13, FY 13 /14,AND FY 14/15 IN ORDER TO FIX
EQUITABLE RATES DUE TO THE CONTINUING DROUGHT
WHEREAS; The City of Rohnert Park (City) provides sewer services to residents,
businesses, and other users, and charges rate payers for the service provided; and,
WHEREAS, The City adopts sewer service charges by ordinance, including amounts and
calculation methods; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted Ordinance No. 837 on May 24`x', 2011 which authorizes
the establishment of sewer rate charges for residential users based upon the lower of actual
monthly water usage or the most recent average winter monthly water use from billing cycles in
December, January, and February; and,
WHEREAS, the City currently charges by the most recent average winter rate; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council may, under Section 13.42.035(D), make the determination
that special circumstances exist that authorize the calculation method to be modified by
resolution to fix equitable rates; and,
WHEREAS, Governor Brown declared a drought state of emergency on January 17,
2014, and continues to take actions that will save water; and,
WHEREAS, declared droughts typically result in higher use of domestic water for
irrigation purposes than typical winters; and,
WHEREAS, in a prior drought, the Council found that Section 4 of Ordinance No. 837
could be interpreted to allow the winter average /sewer cap to be based upon the most recent
winter or the winter immediately prior thereto, whichever was lower; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council adjusted the FY 13/14 winter average sewer cap via
Resolution 2014 -073 on June 24, 2014 allowing a similar interpretation given the abnormal
drought conditions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Rohnert
Park that it does hereby authorize and approve the interpretation Section 4 of Ordinance No. 837
to allow the charges for residential wastewater service to be calculated using the lower value of
the winter averages for FY 12/13, FY 13/14, and FY 14/15 in order to fix equitable rates due to
the continuing drought.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Finance Director is hereby authorized and
directed to make the appropriate adjustments to sewer accounts to provide for billing in
accordance with the special circumstances.
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this 14`x' day of April, 2015.
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
ATTEST:
Y,
J, nne M. Buergler, City CIA
CALLINAN MACKENZIE:i �e STAFFORD: BELFORTE AHANOTU: F \-V.)`"'" '
AYES: (1-\ ) NOES: ( U ) ABSENT: ( y ) ABSTAIN: ( C� )
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