HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/19/2019 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 136, 2019, AMENDINAgenda Item 2
Item # 2 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY November 19, 2019
City Council
STAFF
Theresa Connor, Water Engineering Field Operations Mgr
Eric Potyondy, Legal
SUBJECT
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 136, 2019, Amending Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins to
Clarify the Application of Certain Water-Related Fees to Different Forms of Fraternity and Sorority Housing.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Ordinance unanimously adopted on First Reading on November 5, 2019, amends Chapter 26 of City
Code to clarify the application of certain water-related fees to different forms of fraternity and sorority housing.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
ATTACHMENTS
1. First Reading Agenda Item Summary, November 5, 2019 (w/o attachments) (PDF)
2. Ordinance No. 136, 2019 (PDF)
Agenda Item 9
Item # 9 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY November 5, 2019
City Council
STAFF
Theresa Connor, Water Engineering Field Operations Mgr
Eric Potyondy, Legal
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 136, 2019, Amending Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins to
Clarify the Application of Certain Water-Related Fees to Different Forms of Fraternity and Sorority Housing.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to amend Chapter 26 of the City Code to clarify the application of certain water-
related fees to different forms of fraternity and sorority housing.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
An applicant for a proposed land use change has brought to staff’s attention that the nature of fraternity and
sorority housing is changing from dormitory style housing with large commercial kitchens to multi-family style
housing without shared kitchens and bathrooms. Currently City Code has one category for fraternity and sorority
housing as a commercial customer which reflects the traditional dormitory style housing with a large commercial
kitchen and shared bathrooms.
As an example, consider a multi-family dwelling building. An application to use that multi-family dwelling building
as fraternity housing would cause a change in the water utility rates and fees to a commercial customer. The
increased water and wastewater plant investment fee requirements would be approximately $230,000, despite
the fact that there would be no required changes to the plumbing or number of fixtures in the building.
In discussions with the applicant and their representatives, staff has learned that the nature of fraternity and
sorority is changing to be more flexible. The ability to staff the kitchens is causing fraternities and sororities to
move away from commercial kitchens towards self-contained units. This allows the owner of the building more
flexibility in future real estate markets if the fraternity or sorority decides to make a change in their housing
arrangement. Staff is proposing changes to City Code that create two categories of fraternity and sorority
housing: (1) dormitory (or traditional) fraternity and sorority housing; and (2) multi-family fraternity and sorority
housing. This would reflect the changing nature of fraternity and sorority housing and clarify the subsequent
collection of water and sewer plant investment fees and water supply requirements for these housing types.
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
None
ATTACHMENT 1
Agenda Item 9
Item # 9 Page 2
BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The Water Board voted unanimously, 8-0 on September 19, 2019, to recommend approval of the amendments.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Outreach was conducted with a land use applicant seeking to use multi-family housing units as a fraternity and
their legal and engineering team. They expressed agreement with the proposed changes.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Minutes Excerpt - Greek Housing (PDF)
ATTACHMENT 1
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ORDINANCE NO. 136, 2019
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AMENDING CHAPTER 26 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
TO CLARIFY THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN WATER-RELATED FEES
TO DIFFERENT FORMS OF FRATERNITY AND SORORITY HOUSING
WHEREAS, the City owns and operates a water utility that provides treated water service
to customers in its service area and a wastewater utility that provides wastewater service to
customers in its service area; and
WHEREAS, as a prerequisite for treated water service, the City charges a water plant
investment fee (“WPIF”) pursuant to City Code Sections 26-120 and 26-128 and a Water Supply
Requirement (“WSR”) pursuant to City Code Sections 26-147 through 26-150; and
WHEREAS, as a prerequisite for wastewater service, the City charges a sewer plant
investment fee (“SPIF”) pursuant to City Code Sections 26-283 and 26-284; and
WHEREAS, various City Code provisions in Chapter 26, such as the WPIF, WSR, and
SPIF, parallel land use designations in the City Code, including those in the Land Use Code; and
WHEREAS, there are various Greek letter organizations (referred to as fraternities and
sororities) in Fort Collins that are associated with Colorado State University; and
WHEREAS, fraternities and sororities have historically housed members in dormitory-
style housing that typically include commercial or kitchens and common bathrooms but are now
more frequently housing members in multi-family dwelling housing; and
WHEREAS, under City Code, the WPIF and the WSR for a particular development varies
depending on whether the development requires “residential” water service (which includes single-
family, duplex, mobile home, and multi-family dwelling units) or “nonresidential” water service
(which includes all water service not included in the residential water service category); and
WHEREAS, under City Code, the SPIF for a particular development varies depending on
whether the development is a “duplex and multi-family” or “non-residential and industrial”; and
WHEREAS, City Code has historically placed fraternity and sorority housing in the
nonresidential water service category, whether or not the housing is in the nature of multi-family
housing, and
WHEREAS, staff has recommended certain changes to portions of Chapter 26 of City Code
to clarify how the WPIF, the WSR, and the SPIF apply to fraternity and sorority housing depending
on whether it is dormitory-style housing or multi-family housing.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
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Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and
findings contained in the recitals set forth above.
Section 2. That Section 26-41 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 26-41. - Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this Article, shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in this Section:
. . .
Fraternity and sorority houses shall mean the same as defined in the Land Use Code.
Fraternity and sorority multi-family housing shall mean any fraternity and sorority houses
that are organized as multi-family dwelling units with separate dwelling units that include
separate kitchens and bathrooms per dwelling unit.
Fraternity and sorority dormitory housing shall mean any fraternity and sorority houses
that do not meet the definition of fraternity or sorority multi-family housing.
. . .
Section 3. That Section 26-128 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 26-128. Schedule C, water plant investment fees.
The water plant investment fee prescribed in § 26-120 shall be payable by users both inside
and outside of the City, as follows:
(1) Single-family residential buildings.
For a single-family residential lot greater than one-half (½)
acre in size, the lot size shall be deemed to be one-half (½) acre
for the purpose of this fee calculation. For each additional tap
or meters larger than three-fourths (¾) inch, the nonresidential
rate shall apply.
a. For the first three-fourths-inch water tap or meter $730.00
b. For the first one-inch water tap or meter to
accommodate residential fire suppression systems based upon
the criteria established in the International Building Code as
adopted and amended pursuant to Chapter 5 of this Code.
$1,237.00
c. Plus, for each square foot of lot area $0.36
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(2) Residential buildings of two (2) or more dwelling units (including
fraternity and sorority multi-family housing)
The fee will provide for one (1) tap per residential building
and an adequate number of additional taps to serve common
irrigable areas, if any. The number and size of taps shall be
determined by the Utilities Executive Director based upon the
criteria established in the Uniform Plumbing Code as
amended pursuant to Chapter 5 of this Code.
a. For each residential building unit $530.00
b. Plus, for each square foot of lot area $0.26
(3) Mobile home parks
The size of the tap shall be determined by the Utilities
Executive Director based upon the criteria established in the
Uniform Plumbing Code as amended pursuant to Chapter 5
of this Code.
a. For each residential building unit $530.00
b. Plus, for each square foot of lot area $0.26
(4) Hotels, fraternity and sorority dormitory housing, and similar uses.
The nonresidential rate shall apply.
(5) Nonresidential service
a. Service to all nonresidential taps, including, but not limited
to, taps for commercial and industrial service, shall be charged
according to the size of the meter pursuant to the following
schedule:
Meter Size (inches)
Nonresidential
Plant
Investment
Fee
¾ $7,940
1 $20,960
1½ $43,520
2 $72,470
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b. The fee for all meters larger than two (2) inches shall be
calculated by multiplying the estimated peak daily demand by
the following charge per gallon, but shall not be less than the
charge for a two-inch meter.
$4.99
Section 4. That Section 26-148 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 26-148. - Water supply requirement (WSR); residential service.
(a) Residential service for WSR shall include single-family, duplex, mobile home, and
multi-family dwelling units, including fraternity and sorority multi-family housing.
Section 5. That Section 26-149 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 26-149. - Water supply requirement (WSR); nonresidential service.
(a) Nonresidential service for WSR shall apply to all services not included in the
residential category and shall include, without limitation, all service to customers
for: commercial; industrial; public entity; group housing, such as nursing homes,
fraternity and sorority dormitory housing; hotels and motels; and mixed-use
purposes.
. . .
Section 6. That Section 26-206 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 26-206. - Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this Article, shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in this Section:
. . .
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Fraternity and sorority houses shall mean the same as defined in the Land Use Code.
Fraternity and sorority multi-family housing shall mean any fraternity and sorority houses
that are organized as multi-family dwelling units with separate dwelling units that include
separate kitchens and bathrooms per dwelling unit.
Fraternity and sorority dormitory housing shall mean any fraternity and sorority houses
that do not meet the definition of GLO multi-family housing.
. . .
Section 7. That Section 26-278 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 26-278. - Classification of users.
The users of the wastewater utility may be divided into various classifications, including but not
limited to: single-family dwelling; duplex; multi-family dwelling which includes fraternity and
sorority multi-family housing; and nonresidential which includes fraternity and sorority dormitory
housing. Additional classifications may be established by the City for each nonresidential user
class. Mobile home parks are to be classified as multi-family dwellings. Hotels, rooming houses,
and similar uses are to be classified as nonresidential uses. Each user shall be classed into one (1)
of the following categories and charged at the applicable rate:
(1) Category A: Single-family residential users (either flat rate or metered water use).
(2) Category B: Duplex (two-family) residential users (either flat rate or metered water
use).
(3) Category C: Multi-family residential users (more than two (2) dwelling units
including mobile home parks and fraternity and sorority multi-family housing).
(4) Category D: Minor nonresidential user. A minor nonresidential user is a user who
discharges only wastes of a type and strength normally discharged by private
residences. Category D shall also apply to multi-family residential units under
construction during the period of service from the installation of the water meter to
the date the certificate of occupancy is issued. All nonresidential users not subject
to the provisions of Categories C, E and F shall be classed as minor nonresidential
users in Category D.
. . .
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Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 5th day of
November, A.D. 2019, and to be presented for final passage on the 19th day of November, A.D.
2019.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on this 19th day of November, A.D. 2019.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk