Public Hearing Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE CHARGE NCREASE

Date:   May 19, 2015

Time:   7 p.m.

Location:

ALAMEDA CITY HALL

2263 SANTA CLARA AVENUE

THIRD FLOOR, COUNCIL CHAMBERS

ALAMEDA, CA 94501

The City of Alameda, in compliance with Article XIIID of the California State Constitution and the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act, is hereby notifying all affected property owners of the following:

• The City is proposing an increase to the current "Base Sewer Service Charge" to meet regulatory requirements and mandates.
• A public hearing will be held on May 19, 2015 at 7:00 pm in the City of Alameda City Council Chambers to accept public comment and receive written protests on the proposed sewer service charge increase.

Why are Sewer Service Charge Adjustments Needed?

The City's sewer facilities are self-supporting.  Sewer service charges must be adequate to fund the operating and maintenance costs, capital needs, and debt service obligations of the City's sewer facilities.  Adjustments to the current sewer service charge are needed to:

• Meet the legal mandates issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to complete certain minimum improvements to the City's sewer facilities.  Failure to meet these requirements may result in strict penalties and/or fines.
• Respond to increased regulatory requirements and health concerns associated with sanitary sewer overflows.
• Fund the ongoing operating and maintenance expenses of the City's sewer facilities in accordance with regulatory permit requirements and keep revenues aligned with the costs of providing safe and reliable service.

Proposed Sewer Service Charge Increase

City of Alameda Proposed Monthly Sewer Service Charges

The base sewer service charge after the proposed increase compares favorably with the existing sewer service charges in neighboring cities.  Current monthly sewer service charges for a typical single family residence are shown in the following table.

The Sewer Rate Study is available for review at the City Clerk's office.

When will the Sewer Service Charge take place?

If approved, the sewer service charge would phase in annually beginning in July

2015 and be billed on the annual property tax roll. Subsequent changes would occur at the beginning of each fiscal year and will be reflected on the tax roll.

Concerns? Please Contact Us

If you have questions or comments about the proposed sewer service charge increases or wish to protest, you may:

Address the Council:

Attend the public hearing on May 19, 2015; or

Write:

Protest procedures can be found on the City of Alameda Public Works Department website: http://alamedaca.gov/public-works under the Sewer Rate Increase tab or at the City Clerk's office, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501.  Written protests (delivered through the United States Mail or hand delivered to the City Clerk) against the proposed sewer service charge have to identify the address or the parcel number of the impacted property (found on the mailing label of this notice) and include the signature of the record property owner.  If the City receives written protest against the proposed sewer service charges by a majority of the affected property owners by the end of the public hearing on May 19, 2015, the City Council will not approve the sewer service charge.  In compliance with Proposition 218, only one protest for each property will be counted.  If a majority protest of property owners does not exist, the City Council may consider adoption of the proposed increases.