AgdaPkt 2013-01-14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7.A. - Page 4 At its September 10, 2012 meeting, the City Council reviewed the recommendations of staff and the Utilities Committee and directed staff to draft amendments to the cross- connection control ordinance and to prepare a resolution adopting an amnesty program to encourage compliance. ANALYSIS The proposed ordinance and resolution together amend the City's Cross-connection Control Program as follows: • Implements an amnesty program by waiving certain fees for property owners with auxiliary water sources who come into compliance within one year and in order to avoid inequity for those who already complied, the program provides certain credits and fee waivers for compliant property owners. • Allows below-grade DC in some cases where the potential hazard is low and allows routine inspections of unused or abandoned wells with fee instead of well destruction. • Changes timing provisions so that City notices and property owner submission of completed test forms are aligned. • Declares a non-compliant property to be a public nuisance which is helpful in bringing an enforcement action. • Instead of only providing for criminal prosecution as under the current ordinance, the amended ordinance provides an array of penalties ranging from administrative fines (City administered fines of $100-$500), civil fines (court administered fines up to $1,000 per day plus cost), and criminal fines (criminal prosecution with fines and/or jail) -- this provides more options to the City to address situations as appropriate to the conduct and unique circumstances of a particular matter instead of only handling as a criminal prosecution. • Requires a real estate disclosure when there is an auxiliary water source on the property. • Instead of burdening City staff with issuing certificates of competency to testers, testers provide evidence of appropriate certification, Redwood City business license, and proof of insurance. • Fee amount is removed from ordinance and placed in resolution so that it can be adjusted more easily as needed. Fees are established at $60 for initial registration and annual testing/reporting, $60 for operational tests by City, and $100 an hour for City inspections of property. • The proposed ordinance also amends section 13.1 of Chapter 13 to repeal two provisions that were previously adopted by reference from the San Mateo County Page 4 of 6