Paso Robles Municipal Code Art. II Sewer Connection

A. Occupancy Prohibited. No building, industrial facility or other structure shall be occupied until the owner of the premises has complied with all city rules and regulations.

B. Sewer Required. All new buildings shall connect to the city sewerage system and all land development projects shall include provisions for the connection of future buildings to the city sewerage system.

1. Exceptions will be allowed only when the city council approves a private wastewater system permit in accordance with Article III of this chapter.

2. Individual Sewer Lateral. An individual sewer lateral shall be provided for each building, except when a building is located in the rear of another building on an interior lot, permission may be granted by the city to construct a private sewer, provided the buildings are under the same ownership or controlled by sufficient agreement to assure compliance by each building with the provisions of this chapter.

C. Clean-Outs. All plumbing systems or building sewers shall be maintained with clean-outs installed pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Code. Each premise shall install and leave in place a test-Y clean-out at the public easement abutting the premises. All clean-outs shall meet the standard specifications and details of the city and shall be maintained to be watertight.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

A. No person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance, or perform any work on any plumbing or drainage system within the city's public right-of-way, without first obtaining an encroachment permit from the city engineer.

B. No person shall construct a sewer lateral or make a connection with any public sewer without first obtaining a plumbing permit from the city building division and paying all required capacity and reimbursement fees.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

Any licensed contractor who undertakes to pave, resurface, regrade or do any work on any street that contains city sewers shall not cover up or conceal any manholes or structure, or their covers; every care must be taken to protect them. In the event said work results in damage to, or a change of grade in, the area of the manhole or structure, the contractor performing the work shall be responsible, at his own expense, for repairing or modifying the manhole or structure to meet the new grade. Before any work is performed to city manholes or structures, the city's public works department shall be contacted and all work shall be done under an encroachment permit at the direction of the city engineer, and in accordance with city standards.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

It shall be unlawful for any person who is not a licensed contractor under the state contractor's license law to install or construct any sewer for connection to the city's sewer system, or to otherwise make a connection to said system. All contractors must obtain an encroachment permit from the city engineer prior to commencing or carrying out any such work within the city.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

The city has adopted standard specifications and details for the construction of sewers and appurtenances, which is available in the office of the city engineer and on the city's website at www.PRCity.com. Said standard specifications and details are incorporated herein by reference.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

The application for an encroachment permit for public sewer construction shall be accompanied by complete plans, profiles and specifications showing all details of the proposed work, and which shall be approved by the city engineer, and which shall comply with all applicable city rules and regulations. Plans shall be prepared by a registered civil engineer licensed in the state.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

Drawings showing the actual location of all mains, structures, laterals, and clean-outs shall be filed with the city engineer prior to acceptance of the work.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

An adopted official master plan for trunk systems within the city shall be on file in the office of the director of public works, and shall be incorporated herein by reference.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

Authorization to construct new sewer mains in the public right-of-way must be obtained from the city engineer acting under the authority of the director. Request for authorization shall be made to the city engineer. All construction shall be in accordance with the city's standard specifications and details.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

A. To assist in the protection of health and property, a backflow valve or overflow device shall be installed in the sewer serving any building where the lowest floor elevation (containing plumbing fixtures) will be less than one foot above the rim of the upstream manhole or flushing inlet.

B. When an overflow device is installed, the elevation of discharge of said installation shall be at least one foot below the lowest floor elevation containing a plumbing fixture system, building sewer or sewer lateral and may include a back-up check valve wherever and whenever the city may deem advisable.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

The city may require, as a condition of development, that a developer install oversized sewer improvements to serve adjacent properties consistent with the city's sewer master plan. In such event, the city may provide that such developer be reimbursed for a portion of the cost of such oversized improvements.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

A capacity charge shall be charged for each connection to the city sewer at a rate established by city resolution.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

A. A reimbursement agreement may be prepared by the city engineer for consideration by the city council where a property owner has installed sewer lines and appurtenances beyond his or her property line and the sewer line is subject to probable future use by other properties.

B. Funds for reimbursement of sewer extensions are obtained from future connections to said sewer. Reimbursements occur semi-annually. Distribution to the property owner shall be limited to an amount equal to total excess costs approved by the city council. Agreements shall terminate ten years from date of acceptance by the city council, unless extended by the city council.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

It shall be the city's policy to deny sewer permits for any property outside the city, except where exceptional circumstances warrant such permit and where the city, in its sole discretion, determines it will benefit from providing such sewer service outside the city limits. If such permit is approved by the city council, the applicant must enter into a written contract with the city whereby the applicant shall bind himself, his heirs, his successors and assigns to abide by all city ordinances, rules and regulations in regard to the manner in which such sewer shall be used, the manner of connecting such sewer, the plumbing and drainage in connection therewith, and to pay all specified fees and charges. The granting of a permit for sewer service outside the city limits, and the scope of such permit, shall be within the sole discretion of the city council.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

A. Conditions. As a condition of annexation to the city, the owners of property petitioning for annexation shall, as a condition precedent thereto, pay to the city the following:

1. Processing Costs. The actual cost of preparation of maps, legal descriptions, publication charges, and any and all other applicable charges pertaining to the sewerage system.

2. Fees. Amounts fixed by the city as contribution of such areas annexed or serviced toward the costs of the city's then existing sewerage system.

B. Payment of Processing Costs and Fees. The fees shall be paid prior to the issuance of a permit as required by this chapter.

C. Additional Terms and Conditions. The city council reserves the right to or to provide for additional terms and conditions.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

In the event of a failure to pay sewer service charges, the city shall have authority to disconnect the water service. When service has been disconnected as provided, the cost or estimated cost of disconnection and reconnection to the system shall be deposited by the user within the city before such user is reconnected to the system. The city shall refund any part of the deposit remaining after payment of all costs of disconnection and reconnection.

During the period of such disconnection, habitation of such premises by human beings shall constitute a public nuisance, whereupon the city shall cause proceedings to be brought for the abatement of the occupancy of said premises by human beings during the period of such disconnection. In such event, and as a condition of reconnection, there is to be paid to the city reasonable attorney's fee and cost of suit arising in said action. The city declares that the foregoing procedures are established as a means of enforcement of the terms and conditions of its Code, rules and regulations, and not as a penalty.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)

The city council retains the right to grant adjustments and exceptions to the provisions of this chapter in order to vary and modify the strict application thereof in cases in which there are practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships. Application for any adjustment or exception shall be made to the city council in the form of a written application submitted to the city manager. However, no such adjustment or exception shall be allowed to contravene state or federal standards or the city's technically-based local limit standards.

(Ord. No. 1105 N.S., § 2 (Exh. A), 12-1-2020)