§ 70-4. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Base charge or availability charges means the monthly rate of assessment associated with each parcel of property to ensure that a city-wide stormwater utility system is available.

City manager means the city manager or city staff designated to act on his behalf.

Developed property means any parcel of land that has been modified by the action of persons to reduce the land's natural ability to absorb and hold rainfall. These modifications include, but are not necessarily limited to, clearing, grading, cementing, filling, or compacting the natural ground, or erecting or constructing buildings, parking lots, driveways, patios, decks, canopies, walkways, athletic courts and any other impervious surface.

FDEP means the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Government property means property owned by a sovereign nation, the United States of America or any agency thereof, the state or any agency thereof, a county, a special district or a municipal corporation.

Impervious surface means any part of any parcel of land that has a surface or compacted cover of material that impedes or restricts infiltration of rainfall into the soil. Impervious surfaces include, but are not necessarily limited to, building roofs, parking lots, parking areas formed with compacted soil, clay, shell or gravel, paved driveways, concrete patios, sidewalks, walkways, compacted clay, and athletic courts. Wood-slatted decks, boardwalks, docks and the water area of natural lakes, stormwater retention ponds and swimming pools are not considered as impervious surfaces.

Multifamily property means all attached dwelling units including townhomes, apartments, condominiums, or closely spaced dwelling units such as mobile home parks and other properties containing more than two dwelling units. Common areas associated with such properties shall be included in the charge to the multifamily units on such properties. Hotels and motels are not included.

Nonresidential property means and includes all property zoned or used for commercial, industrial, retail, governmental, other nonresidential purposes, hotels, motels, parking lots, and storage lots, and includes all developed real property in the city not classified as single-family or multifamily, as defined in this section.

NPDES means the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulations, as promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

Pervious surface means natural soils with native vegetation or grasses, not subject to vehicular traffic or used for outdoor storage of vehicles or materials in conjunction with commercial or retail activities.

Property appraiser means the county property appraiser.

Single-family property means and include all single-family dwelling units.

SJRWMD means the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Stormwater means the flow of water upon the surface of the land which results from a rainfall or similar event.

Stormwater retention or detention area means a facility, either natural or manmade, that collects and contains stormwater runoff and allows the release of the stormwater through evaporation, percolation into the ground or release to adjacent surface waters and ditches through a structure that is designed to control the rate of the release of the stormwater, as acknowledged by the city manager or his designee.

Undeveloped property means land in its natural condition with no clearing, grading, cementing, filling, or compacting the natural ground, land not occupied by dwelling units and land not used for any parking, storage, business or other commercial purposes.

Usage charge means the amount charged to each parcel owner based on the amount of stormwater utility system capacity they consume.

(Code 2001, § 79-4; Ord. No. O-18-2012, § 1, 1-8-2013; Ord. No. O-12-2016, § 4, 9-20-2016)