1. The utility shall collect connection charges, in order that each connecting property shall bear its equitable share of the cost of the public sewer system.

2. Connection charges shall be paid before a property is allowed to connect to the public sewer system. Connection charges not previously paid, such as charges for new facilities that directly benefit the property, shall be paid when the property undergoes, either at one time or cumulative through more than one project, a substantial remodeling as defined in LUC 20.50.044 or more substantial improvement or if an improvement or cumulative improvements significantly impact downstream system capacity.

3. Connection charges that have been paid as a result of development activities on the property or through participation in an LID or ULID shall not be reassessed.

4. The utility may enter into contracts with property owners of single-family homes and with the owners of redevelopment projects that meet criteria specified by the utility for payment of connection charges over time instead of as a lump sum. The utility will charge interest, at a rate set by the director or his/her designee, on any outstanding debt covered by a payment contract. A contract shall be payable in full at the time of closing upon sale of the property.

1. The utility shall assess and collect direct facilities charges from property owners that directly benefit from utility-built or privately built sewer facilities, except property owners who previously paid their fair share through an LID or ULID. Facilities that may be covered in a direct facilities charge include, but are not limited to, stubs built from the sewer main to the property line, pump stations and mains.

2. The direct facilities charge is the property owner’s equitable share of the established costs of the facilities he/she benefits from. The equitable share shall include interest charges applied from the date of construction acceptance of the facility until the property connects, or for a period not to exceed 10 years, whichever is less, at a rate commensurate with the rate of interest applicable at the time of construction of the facility to which the property owner is seeking to connect but not to exceed 10 percent per year; provided, that the aggregate amount of interest shall not exceed the equitable share of the cost of the facility allocated to such property owner.

3. The facilities’ costs shall be allocated to benefitting property owners based on the number of single-family equivalents. The director may, however, make such allocation based on front footage or other reasonably based methodology if the director determines that such alternate basis or methodology better assures equitable sharing of cost by all properties benefitting from the facilities.