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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 12619.~ {_ ,~,, M ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 12273 OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, SECTION 1, PART B, "ENVIRONMENTAL FEE," BY AMENDING THE RATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FEE; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1, 1996. WHEREAS, Section 361.013(g) of the Texas Health and Safety Code authorizes the City of Fort Worth to impose a local environmental protection fee; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is necessary to increase that fee to fund environmental programs required by federal and/or state law; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the best interest of the City to assess the fee on a differential basis, so that industrial and commercial entities pay a fee that is more in proportion to their potential impact on the environment; NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the City Council of the Citv of Fort Worth, Texas that: SECTION 1. That Ordinance Number 12273 of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, Section 1, Part B, "Environmental Fee, " adopted by the City Council of the City of Fort Worth on November 28, 1995, is hereby amended to read as follows: The Director of City Services shall charge a separate per month / per account fee to customers, which shall be known as the "environmental protection fee." The rates for such fee shall be as follows: Residential $ .50 Residential Duplex 1.00 Apartment Complex (per dwelling unit on account) .50 Municipal and Nonprofit .75 Commercial 10.00 Commercial Multi-unit 20.00 Industry 35.00 The Director of the Department of Water is hereby instructed to create an "Apartment Complex" account classification, and is further instructed to reclassify ~. ~~ `'` apartment complexes from the commercial classification into the apartment complex classification. SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances of the City of Fort Worth and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed. SECTION 3. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 4. All rights and remedies of the City of Fort Worth, Texas are expressly saved as to any and all violations of the provisions of the ordinances amended in Section 1, which have accrued at the time of the effective date of this ordinance and, as to such accrued 2 _A • x violations and all pending litigation, both civil and criminal, whether pending in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be affected by this ordinance but may be prosecuted until final disposition by the courts. SECTION 5. This ordinance shall, after its passage, be in full force and effect on October 1, 1996, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: - _ Y /' SS STA C A RN Y D E : ~ - O~ ~p~/ ~(~ ADOPTED: ~ -- ~ ~ - ~/ CO EFFECTIVE: 3 City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE REFERSNCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGR 08/13/96 G-11559 52AMEND 1 of 2 SUBJECT AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE 12273 CHANGING RATES CHARGED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FEE RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council Approve the attached ordinance amending Ordinance Number 12273, Section 1, Part B; by changing the rates charged for the Environmental Protection Fee effective October 1, 1996, 2 Authorize the Water Department to create an "Apartment Complex" account classification and reclassify apartment complexes from the commercial classification into the apartment complex classification within their billing system DISCUSSION The City of Fort Worth's Environmental Protection Fee was created in January 1992 and further amended in June 1993 The fee is used for environmental programs and services that are mandated by federal, state, or local regulations Currently, all water service customers (commercial, industrial, and residential) pay a $0 50 per month charge on their water bills The current 50 50 Environmental Protection Fee generates approximately $850,000 00 per year To implement federal and state mandated environmental actions identified to date, approximately S13 million will be required during the next five years Increasing and new environmental requirements as well as increased City acquisitions of abandoned contaminated property needing remediation are placing great demands on a deficient economic base caused by an inequitable fee structure To address these issues, an Environmental Protection Fee Committee was assembled in November 1995 The Committee's membership of eleven (11) individuals was composed of four (4) representatives from industry, four (4) representatives from business/commerce, and three (3) private citizens The purpose of the Committee was to review the existing fee rates and formulate new rates while maintaining an equitable balance among those parties that were more likely to contribute to environmental actions The Committee's recommendations change the rate charged from a flat SO 50 per month to a variable rate structure by class of water customer The proposed rate structure delineated below is anticipated to generate approximately $2 9 million per year Printed on Recycled Paper City of Fort Worth Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATB RSFBR8NC8 NUM88R LOO NAME PA(i8 08/13/96 G-11559 52AMEND 2 of 2 svsJacT AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE 12273 CHANGING RATES CHARGED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FEE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FEE STRUCTURE RESIDENTIAL S 0 50 unchanged RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX 1 00 COMMERCIAL 10.00 COMMERCIAL MULTI-UNIT 20 00 APARTMENT COMPLEXES 0 50 per apartment unit INDUSTRIAL 35 00 MUNICIPAL 0 75 NON-PROFIT 0 75 FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION The Customer Service Division of the Water Department is responsible for collection of funds due the City generated by this ordinance amendment. MG•f Sul~itted for City Manager's FUND Office by: (to) R101 Charles Boswell 8511 Originating Department Head: ACCOUNT I CENTER 494100 I 052011000000 AMOUNT I CITY SECRETARY APPROVED CITY COUNCIL Edward Sierra 8079 I (from) For Additioool 1[ntormation Contact: Edward Siena 8079 AUG 13 1996 City. Secred~ry of tho City of Fort W3tth, Texas Printed on Reoyded Paper