Matters ▸ Attachment
2020-Sewer ordinance amendments 5-12-2020 redline — File 210146
1
CITY OF SOMERVILLE
ORDINANCE NO. 2020-
IN THE CITY COUNCIL: ___________, 2020
Be it ordained by the City Council, in session assembled, that the Code of Ordinances of the City
of Somerville Article VII of Chapter 11 is hereby amended, by adding the underlined language
and deleting the struck-through language to read as follows:
ARTICLE VII. - SEWERS
DIVISION 1. - GENERALLY
Sec. 11-156. - Common sewers.
Every sewer of drain laid in any land, or street, or way, public or private, opened or
proposed to be opened for public travel and accommodation, for the purpose of draining more
than one lot or building, shall be deemed to be a common sewer and Nno such common sewer
shall be laid or shall be connected with any existing common sewer except by the city.
(Code 1963, § 8-29)
Cross reference— City engineer duties, § 11-141.
Sec. 11-157. - Sewer specifications.
Main drains or common sewers, which shall be ordered by the city council to be made,
shall be laid in such places and manner and shall be made of such materials and dimensions as
the city engineer shall determine, unless the city council shall otherwise specially direct.
(Code 1963, § 8-29)
Cross reference— City engineer duties, § 11-141.
Sec. 11-158. -– Private Sewer or Drain specifications.
Every private sewer or drain which enters into any common sewer shall be built of such
size and materials, in such place and direction, at such grade, and in such manner as shall be
satisfactory to the city engineer, and with a due observance of all regulations of the board of
health, so far as applicable thereto.
(Code 1963, § 8-30)
2
Sec. 11-159. - Plans of sewers and drains.
The city engineer shall make accurate plans of all main drains and common sewers,
showing their location, depth, and the materials of which they are made, and their size, shape,
thickness, and manner of construction; also all existing connections with said sewers and all
future connections as they are made.
(Code 1963, § 8-31)
Cross reference— City engineer duties, § 11-141.
State Law reference— Provision authorized, M.G.L.A. c. 40, § 21(5).
Sec. 11-160. - Catch basin locations.
The location of all catch basins shall be under the direction of the city engineer.
(Code 1963, § 8-32)
Sec. 11-161. - Report of main drain and common sewer costs.
The city engineer shall keep an accurate account of the cost of each main drain or common
sewer constructed, and make report thereof to the city council.
(Code 1963, § 8-33)
Sec. 11-162. - Sewer assessments.
(a) The city council shall make assessments for all main drains or common sewers heretofore
constructed or reconstructed by the city, the expenses of which have not already been
assessed and collected, in the same manner as for those which may hereafter be
constructed; and the city engineer shall render all the services and perform all the duties in
regard to the main drains or common sewers heretofore constructed the expenses of which
have not already been assessed and collected, which he or she is required to render and
perform in regard to those hereafter to be constructed.
(b) The city council shall deliver a list of such assessments, when made, to the collector of taxes,
for collection.
(Code 1963, §§ 8-34, 8-36)
State Law reference— Sewer assessments, M.G.L.A. c. 83, §§ 14-24.
3
Sec. 11-163. - Exemptions for sewer assessments.
No estate, to the owner of which permission has been or may be given to construct private
sewers or drains for such estate, shall by reason of the construction of such private sewers or
drains be exempt from any assessment lawfully imposed for constructing common sewers in its
vicinity.
(Code 1963, § 12-35)
Sec. 11-164. - Sewer user charges.
(a) The definitions provided for in Section 11-140 of the Code of Ordinances are incorporated
herein by reference.Definitions. As used in this section, the following words and terms shall
have the same meaning as set forth below:
The Act means the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1251 et seq., as amended).
Replacement means expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories, or
appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the treatment works to maintain
the capacity and performance which such works were designed and constructed. The term
"operation and maintenance" includes replacement.
User charge means a charge levied on users of the treatment works for the cost of
operation of said works in accordance with Section 204(b) of the Act.
(b) User charges.
(1) Established. Charges for sewer service shall be established by the superintendent of
the water and sewer department, subject to the approval of the mayor and city council.
Prior to setting the new sewer service charge, the water and sewer superintendent shall
conduct a public hearing on the proposed charge no later than May 15 of any given year
with notice of any new charges provided to the city council at least 14 days prior to the
public hearing. Any proposed new charges shall be provided to the city council on or
before June 1 of any given year for its review and approval.
Charges may be adjusted, subsequent to initial approval by the superintendent, with
the approval of the mayor and city council, without the necessity of a public hearing,
to reflect any changes in any charge assessed to the city by any governmental body or
agency of the commonwealth. If any such adjustment results in a lower charge than
previously set, the new charge shall take effect immediately upon approval by the
mayor and city council. If such adjusted charge is higher than otherwise set, the new
charge shall take effect no sooner than 30 days after approval by the mayor and city
council. Failure to hold a public hearing or provide the proposed charges to the board
for its review on or before June 1 as required above shall prohibit the city from
increasing charges.
4
(2) Method of assessment. Rates shall be established based upon a uniform rate per 100
cubic feet of water consumed. At a user's option and expense, assessments may be
made on continuously metered sewage flow, or upon water sales to activities resulting
in a discharge to the sewer. Said assessments shall be made pursuant to readings
obtained from metering devices approved by the commissioner. For users whose bill is
based upon metered sewage, the rate shall be 1.11 times the rate established for those
whose bill is based upon metered water. Where water consumption data is not
available, bills for sewer services shall be based upon estimated consumption, as
determined by the commissioner.
(3) Payment. Bills for sewer service shall be rendered a minimum of two per year and a
maximum of six per year for commercial and four per year for residential and are due
and payable within 45 days. Interest shall accrue on bills not paid within 45 days from
the date of mailing at the rate established by Section 57 of Chapter 93 of the General
Laws.
(c) Appeals. Persons aggrieved of bills rendered pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall
have the following rights of appeal:
(1) Notification. Within the time frame allowed for payment of said bills, the aggrieved
party shall notify the commissioner that said bill is contested. The notification shall
include an explanation as to why the bill is contested, and should provide the
commissioner with such information as is necessary to determine the validity of the
claim. The commissioner may prescribe such forms as are necessary to expedite this
process.
(2) Resolution. Upon receipt of an appeal, the commissioner shall act upon same as quickly
as possible and shall inform the claimant in writing of the result of the investigations.
The determination of the commissioner shall also be transmitted to the treasurer who
shall take the following action:
a. For first claims and claims found to be valid, the date of billing shall be revised to
the date of the commissioner's determinations. Revised charges shall then be due
and payable as is specified in subsection (b)(3) of this section.
b. For second and subsequent claims found to be invalid, the date of billing shall be as
originally issued, and charges and interest shall be computed as specified in
subsection (b)(3) of this section.
(d) Tax liens of overdue charges. Charges for sewer use which are overdue and uncontested
shall become a tax lien as is provided in Sections 16A through 16F of Chapter 83 of the
General Laws.
(e) Increases restricted. The superintendent of the water division shall prepare and submit to
the city council on or before April 1, 1984, a plan for the installation of water meters in each
residence, business, industrial or other location where no meter currently exists. Said plan
shall provide for the complete metering of water services in the city by December 31, 1986.
The superintendent of the water division shall submit to the city council on or before
5
December 8 in each year of the installation period, a statement, signed under the penalties
of perjury, that not less than one-third of the total number of unmetered services existing
on December 8, 1984, have been installed during such year. If the total number of water
meters out of service in any year next succeeding the end of the installation period on
December 31, 1986, exceeds 500 meters, then no sewer rate increase shall be authorized or
approved under subsection (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section, without additional approval of the
city council.
(Code 1963, § 8-35; Ord. No. 2016-15 , 10-23-2016; Ord. No. 2019-08 , 4-25-2019)
State Law reference— Apportionment of betterments, M.G.L.A. c. 80, § 13; charges for use of
sewers, M.G.L.A. c. 83, § 16.
Sec. 11-165. -– Roof water, surface water and other drainage.Stormwater.
(a) (a) All roof water, surface water, and other drainage matter, except sewage, shall,
except as hereinafter otherwise provided, be excluded from the main drains and common
sewers which shall have been provided for conducting away sewage from buildings in the
following districts: All stormwater, except as hereinafter otherwise provided, shall be
excluded directly or indirectly from any combined sewers, sanitary sewers, and/or storm
drains that discharge to combined sewers. Stormwater may only discharge to the
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System. The locations of the Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System in the city will be determined and published by the city engineer.
(a)
(1) The territory the drainage of which is to be discharged into the sewers of the City of
Medford and conducted through the same into the metropolitan sewer;
(2) The territory the drainage of which is to be discharged into the metropolitan sewer through
a sewer in this city of which the City of Medford, for a certain district within its territory has the
use in common with this city;
(3) The territory the sewage of which is to be discharged into the sewers in the City of
Cambridge and conducted through the same into the metropolitan sewer;
(4) The territory west of Curtis Street, the drainage of which is to be discharged into the
metropolitan sewer;
(5) The territory situated south and west of a line drawn from a point in the boundary line of
the City of Boston, 100 feet north of Washington Street, and running westerly parallel with and
100 feet northerly from said Washington Street, Somerville Avenue and Elm Street, to Cutter
Square, so far as there shall have been provided therein a system of sewerage for conducting
away sewage only.
(6) All other portions of the city for which there shall have been provided a system of sewers
for conducting away sewage only.
6
(b) The city engineer may, with the approval of the mayor, whenever in the judgment of the
city engineer the exigencies of the case so require, give notice to the owner or agent of any
premises situated in any part of the city so to change the drainage system thereof, within a
reasonable time, specified in such notice, that no roof water, surface water or other drainage
matter, except sewage, shall flow from said premises, directly or indirectly, into any public
sewer which is used for conducting house drainage into the metropolitan sewerage systems;
and such owner or agent shall, within the time specified in such notice, make such changes
in said drainage system as may be necessary to comply with such notice. No person shall
cause or allow such roof water, surface water, or other drainage matter to enter, directly or
indirectly, any public sewer, in violation of the foregoing provisions of this section.
(c) Any private sewerconductor pipe or drain, maintained in violation of any of the provisions
of this section, whether in an existing building or one hereafter erected, shall forthwith be
changed so as to conform thereto, and may, by order of the city council, or by order of the
city engineer when in his or her judgment immediate action is required, be cut off and
disconnected or otherwise disposed of until such provisions are complied with in a manner
satisfactory to him or her.
(d) The city engineer, except as hereinafter otherwise provided, shall not grant a permit to
enter any private sewer or draindrain or sewer into any such main drain or common sewer,
or into any other drain or sewer private sewer or drain which connects, immediately or
ultimately, with any such main drain or common sewer, unless it shall appear to his or her
satisfaction that such drain or sewerprivate sewer or drain, for which such permit to enter is
required, and will not conduct any roof water, surface water, or other drainage matter, in
violation of the provisions of this section. Before any such permit is granted, he or she may
require to be cut off or disconnected or may himself or herself cut off or disconnect from the
private sewer or draindrain or sewer for which such permit to enter is required, any private
sewer or drain or sewer which does not conform to the provisions of this section.
(e) The city engineer may in special cases for good cause shown, and subject to the approval
of the mayor, grant written permission to enter any private sewer or drain or sewer contrary
to the provisions of this section for such length of time and upon such condition as he or she
may deem advisable.
(Code 1963, §§ 8-37—8-40)
Sec. 11-166. -– Main dDrain or common sewer work.
No person shall cut into, interfere with or obstruct a main drain or common sewer, or shall
enter, or attempt to enter, a private or other drain or sewer therein, or into any private drain
connecting with any main drain or common sewer, except in accordance with a permit in
writing from the city engineer.
(Code 1963, § 12-32)
Cross reference— Opening and repairing drains and sewers, sidewalk repair, § 8-41 et seq.
7
Sec. 11-167. - Interference with sewers.
(a) No water pipe, gas pipe or other structure shall be so laid in a street as to obstruct or
interfere with a common sewer or the maintenance thereof.
(b) If any water pipe, gas pipe or other structure interferes with or obstructs any existing
common sewer or the maintenance thereof, or the construction or maintenance of any
common sewer which the city council may hereafter order to make, the department of the
city, corporation or person maintaining the same shall, upon notice from the city engineer,
at once remove or change such pipe or other structure in such manner as he or she may
direct, and upon failure so to do he or she may make such removal or change, and the cost
thereof shall be paid by such department, corporation or person to the city.
(Code 1963, § 12-33)
Sec. 11-168. - Drain layers and work on common sewers.
No one shall employ any person other than a licensed drain layer to perform any work
opening into a common sewer for the purpose of connecting a private sewer or drain
therewith, and the repairs of every private sewer or drain laid from any house, building, cellar
or land to such common sewer, and every opening into such drain, and all openings and
excavations in any street for the purpose of constructing or repairing any private drain.
(Code 1963, § 12-34)
Cross reference— Opening and repairing drains and sewers, sidewalk repair § 8-41 et seq.
Sec. 11-169. -– Private sewer or Ddrains subject to tidewater.
No private sewer or drain connecting with a common sewer subject to the action of
tidewater shall be constructed without a plug or clapper sufficient to prevent completely the
reflux of drainage matter, storm or tidewater.
(Code 1963, § 12-36)
Sec. 11-170. - Substances prohibited from common sewers.
No exhaust from a steam engine and no blowoff from a steam boiler shall be connected
with any common sewer or private sewer or drain. No gasoline or other explosive or
inflammable substance shall be caused or allowed to enter directly or indirectly any common
sewer or private sewer or drain.
(Code 1963, § 12-37)
8
DIVISION 2. - INFILTRATION AND INFLOW MITIGATION
Footnotes:
--- (7) ---
Editor's note— Ord. No. 2018-07, adopted May 10, 2018, set out provisions intended for use as
§§ 11-181 and 11-182. Inasmuch as there were already provisions so designated, the provisions
have been redesignated as §§ 11-171 and 11-172.
Sec. 11-171. - Definitions.
Whenever used in this division, the following terms shall have the following meanings,
unless the context requires otherwise.
Infiltration. Water other than wastewater that enters a sewer system (including sewer
service connections and foundation drains) from the ground through means which include, but
are not limited to, defective pipes, pipe joints, connections, or manholes. Infiltration does not
include, and is distinguished from inflow.
Infiltration/inflow. The quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow without
distinguishing the source.
Inflow. Water other than sanitary flow that enters a sewer system (including sewer service
connections) from sources which include, but are not limited to, roof leaders, cellar drains, yard
drains, area drains, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole covers, cross connections
between storm sewers and sanitary sewers, catch basins, cooling towers, storm waters, surface
runoff, street wash waters, or drainage. Inflow does not include, and is distinguished from
infiltration.
(Ord. No. 2018-07 , 5-10-2018)
Sec. 11-172. - Infiltration and inflow mitigation.
Any person or entity changing, altering, repairing, adding to or improving property in any
way that may impact the City of Somerville sewer system, or any person or entity proposing to
add additional wastewater to an existing sewer connection, or any person or entity establishing
a new connection to the city's common sewer system shall be required to mitigate
infiltration/inflow entering the city's common sewer system. Said person or entity shall be
subject to payment of a fee established by the city engineer to mitigate infiltration/inflow. In
the alternative, subject to approval of both the city engineer and city council, said person or
entity may complete repairs, alterations or improvements to the city's main drain and common
sewer system to eliminate infiltration/inflow in accordance with plans and calculations
approved by the city engineer. Such calculations shall include an administrative and oversight
fee payable to the city in connection with the work to be performed. In the event a connection
is subject to conditions issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection,
the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Unit or the Massachusetts Water Resources
Authority as part of a state or regional permitting process requiring the removal of
9
infiltration/inflow prior to connection, said removal of infiltration/inflow shall be credited
toward complying with the requirements of this ordinance.
The mitigation requirements, fee schedule and methodology for calculating mitigation and
fees, shall be determined and published by the city engineer, and may be revised from time to
time. The city engineer shall provide the city council with the mitigation requirements, fee
schedule and methodology for calculating mitigation and fees on or before January 1 of each
year, and whenever the fee schedule and/or methodologies are revised. The city engineer shall
adopt rules and regulations setting forth the mitigation requirements, fee schedule and
methodology for calculating mitigation and fees. The mitigation requirements may include a de
minimis exemption for minor work performed, at the discretion of the city engineer in
consultation with the city council.
(Ord. No. 2018-07 , 5-10-2018)
Division 3. Illicit Discharges to Storm Drainage System
11-___. Illicit Discharges to Storm Drainage System
A.
Purpose.
(1)
Increased and contaminated stormwater runoff is a major cause of impairment of water
quality and flow into waterways; alteration or destruction of aquatic and wildlife habitat; and
flooding.
(2)
Regulation of illicit connections and discharges to the municipal storm drainage system
is necessary for the protection of the City's water bodies and groundwater and to safeguard the
public health, safety, welfare and the environment.
(3)
The objectives of this article are:
(a)
To prevent pollutants from entering the City's municipal separate storm sewer
system (MS4);
(b)
To prohibit illicit connections and unauthorized discharges to the MS4;
(c)
To require the removal of all such illicit connections;
(d)
To comply with state and federal statutes and regulations relating to stormwater
discharges; and
(e)
To establish the legal authority to ensure compliance with the provisions of this
article through inspection, monitoring, and enforcement.
B.
Applicability.
This article shall apply to flows entering the municipal storm drainage system. The provisions of
this article shall take precedence over any conflicting provisions of the General Ordinances.
10
C.
Authority.
This article is adopted under the authority granted by the Home Rule Amendment of the
Massachusetts Constitution and the Home Rule Procedures Act and pursuant to MGL c. 83, §§
1, 10, and 16, as amended by St. 2004, c. 149, §§ 135 to 140, and the regulations of the federal
Clean Water Act found at 40 CFR 122.34.
D.
Responsibility for administration. The cCity eEngineer shall administer, implement and
enforce this article and any rules and regulations adopted thereunder. Any powers granted to
or duties imposed upon the city engineer City Engineer may be delegated in writing by the city
engineer City Engineer to employees or agents of the city engineerCity Engineer.
E.
Regulations. The city engineer City Engineer may promulgate rules and regulations to
effectuate the purposes of this article. Failure by the city engineer City Engineer to promulgate
such rules and regulations shall not have the effect of suspending or invalidating this article.
F.
Prohibited activities.
(1)
A person is considered to be in violation of this article if they connect a line conveying
sewage and/or wastewater to the municipal storm drain system or, once detected, allows such
a connection to continue.
(2)
Illicit discharges. No person shall dump, discharge, cause or allow to be discharged any
pollutant or nonstormwater discharge into the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4),
into a watercourse, or into the waters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
(3)
Illicit connections. No person shall construct, use, allow, maintain or continue any illicit
connection to the municipal storm drainage system, regardless of whether the connection was
permissible under applicable law, regulation or custom at the time of connection.
(4)
Obstruction of municipal storm drainage system. No person shall obstruct or interfere
with the normal flow of stormwater into or out of the municipal storm drainage system without
prior written approval from the city engineerCity Engineer.
G.
Exemptions. The following nonstormwater discharges or flows are exempt from the
prohibition of nonstormwater, provided that the source is not a significant contributor of a
pollutant to the municipal storm drainage system:
(a)
Municipal water line flushing;
(b)
Uncontaminated groundwater or uncontaminated pumped groundwater;
(c)
Water from exterior foundation drains footing drains, crawl space pumps or
airconditioning condensation;
(d)
Water from sump pumps and other pumps that remove flow from basements,
except that this provision excludes water contaminated by sewage;
(e)
Water discharge from irrigation or watering of lawns, trees, landscaping and
gardens;
11
(f)
Water from property management activities, including washing walkways,
patios, house siding, windows or similar property management activities, provided that
no detergents are used in conducting such activities;
(g)
Discharge from dechlorinated swimming pool water (less than one ppm of
chlorine or bromine), provided that the pool is not drained in a manner designed to
flood or otherwise adversely affect neighboring or downstream properties;
(h)
Consolidated public works ice, snow and street sweeping management
operations;
(i)
Flow resulting from fire-fighting activities;
(j)
Dye testing, provided that written notification is given to the Engineering
Department two business days prior to the time of the test;
(k)
Maintenance or replacement of existing landscaping, gardens or lawn areas;
(l)
Construction of fencing that will not substantially alter existing terrain or
drainage patterns;
(m)
Construction of utilities other than drainage (for example, gas, water, electric,
telephone, etc.) which will not alter terrain or drainage patterns;
(n)
Projects that commenced prior to the effective date of this article, provided that
they are completed within one year from such effective date;
(o)
Natural flowfrom riparian habitats and wetlands;
(p)
Springs;
(q)
Diverted stream flow;
(r)
Rising groundwater;
(s)
Nonstormwater discharge permitted under an NPDES permit or a surface water
discharge permit, waiver, or waste discharge order administered under the authority of
the United States Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of
Environmental Protection, provided that the discharge is in full compliance with the
requirements of the permit, waiver, or order and applicable laws and regulations; and
(t)
Discharge for which advanced written approval is received from the city engineer
City Engineer as necessary to protect public health, safety, welfare or the environment.
H.
Emergency suspension of municipal stormwater drain access.
(1)
The city engineer City Engineer may suspend municipal storm drainage system access to
any person or property without prior written notice when such suspension is necessary to stop
an actual or threatened discharge of pollutants that presents imminent risk of harm to the
public health, safety, welfare or the environment.
(2)
No person shall reinstate municipal storm drain system access to premises terminated
pursuant to this section without the prior inspection and approval of the Engineering
Department. An unapproved reinstatement shall constitute a violation of this section.
12
(3)
In the event any person fails to comply with an emergency suspension order or
reinstates access in violation of this section, the city engineer City Engineer may take all
reasonable steps to prevent or minimize harm to the public health, safety, welfare or the
environment.
I.
Notification of spills. Notwithstanding other requirements of local, state or federal law,
as soon as a person responsible for a property or responsible for emergency response for a
facility or operation has information of any known or suspected release of materials which may
result in discharge of pollutants to the municipal drainage system or waters of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts or United States, said person shall take necessary steps to
ensure the discovery, containment and cleanup of the release. In the event of such a release of
hazardous materials, said person shall also immediately notify emergency response officials of
the occurrence by calling E911. In the event of a release of nonhazardous materials, said person
shall notify the Engineering Division in person, by phone or by email no later than 4:00 p.m. of
the next business day.
J. Enforcement.
(1)
The city engineer City Engineer or appointed designee shall enforce this article and any
regulations promulgated hereunder and may issue and prosecute violation notices and
enforcement orders and may pursue all civil and criminal remedies for violations hereunder.
(2)
Civil relief. The city engineer City Engineer may seek injunctive relief in a court of
competent jurisdiction to restrain a person from continued violations of the provisions of this
article and the regulations promulgated hereunder or of any notices, order or written approvals
or to compel said person to abate or remediate the violation(s).
(3)
Orders. The city engineer City Engineer or an authorized agent of the city engineer City
Engineer may issue a written order to enforce the provisions of this article or the regulations
thereunder, which may include:
(a)
Elimination of illicit connections or discharges to the MS4;
(b)
Performance of monitoring, analyses, and reporting;
(c)
That unlawful discharges, practices, or operations shall cease and desist; and
(d)
Remediation of contamination in connection therewith.
(4)
If the city engineer City Engineer determines that abatement or remediation of
contamination is required, the order described in Section J.3. above shall set forth deadlines in
accordance with the City’s NPDES General Permit a reasonable period of time deadline by
which such abatement or remediation must be completed. Said order shall further advise that,
should the violator or property owner fail to abate or perform remediation within the specified
deadlines in accordance with the City’s NPDES General Permitreasonable period of
time,deadline, the City may, at its option, undertake such work or cause the work to be
performed, and expenses thereof shall be charged to the violator.
13
Within 30 days after completion by the City or its agent of all measures necessary to abate the
violation or to perform remediation, the violator and the property owner will be notified of the
costs incurred by the City, including administrative costs. The violator or property owner may
file a written protest objecting to the amount or basis of costs with the City Engineer within 30
days of receipt of the notification of thesuch costs incurred. If the amount due is not received
by the later of, (a) the expiration of the time in which to file a protest, or within (b) 30 days
following a decision of the City Engineer affirming or reducing the costs, or (c) 30 days from a
final decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, the costs shall become a special assessment
against the property owner and shall constitute a lien on the owner's property for the amount
of said costs. Interest shall begin to accrue on any unpaid costs at the statutory rate provided in
MGL c. 59, § 57, afteron the 31st day atfollowing the date on which the costs first become due.
If a violator fails to comply with the order, the City may cause the work to be performed, and
charge the owner of the property and place a lien against the property for expenses incurred,
provided any entry onto private property pursuant to this provision is consistent with the
Constitutions of the United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the event of an
emergency, however, the city engineer City Engineer may require immediate compliance with
an order and may take all necessary action to secure compliance with this ordinance.
Within 30 days after completing all measures necessary to abate the violation or to perform
remediation, the city engineer City Engineer shall issue a bill for all expenses incurred by
the City in performing the work. The bill shall provide that all expenses are due and payable
within 30 days. The violator or property owner may file a written objection to the bill within
30 days of receipt. If the amount due is not received by the expiration of the time in which to
file a written objection, if no written objection is filed, or within 30 days following a decision of
the city engineer City Engineer affirming or reducing the bill, if a written objection is filed, the
costs shall become a special assessment against the property owner and shall constitute a lien
on the owner's property for the amount of said costs. Interest shall accrue in accordance with
G.L. c. 59, s. 57.
(5)
Criminal penalty. Any person who violates any provision of this article, regulation, order
or permit issued thereunder shall be punished by a fine as set forth in the provisions of Section
1-11(b) of the Code of Ordinances.
(6)
Noncriminal disposition. In addition to the other means of enforcement otherwise
available for violations of this article, violations may be penalized, as provided by MGL c. 40, §
21D, pursuant to the noncriminal disposition provisions of Section 1-11(b) of the Code of
Ordinances.
(5) Violations. It is unlawful for any owner or occupant of real property to fail to comply with
the requirements of this section or any order of the city engineer City Engineer to carry out or
enforcinge the requirements of this section. The provisions of this section may be enforced by
the city engineer City Engineer or Trench Inspector by a noncriminal disposition pursuant to G.
L. c. 40, s. 21D. Each violation of a provision of this section is a separate and distinct offense and
14
in a case of a continuing violation, each day that the violation continues constitutes a separate
offense. Any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity violating any provision of this
article shall be punished in accordance with section 1-11 of this Code. Any interested person
may request, in writing, a hearing before a municipal hearing officer to contest the issuance of
a fine, as provided in Chapter 106 of the Acts of 2008. The imposition of penalties herein
prescribed shall not preclude the city from instituting other remedies to abate violations of this
ordinances as permitted by law, including, but not limited to criminal proceedings, application
for equitable relief, or receivership proceedings.
(67)
Entry to perform duties under this article. To the extent permitted by state law, or if
authorized by the owner or other party in control of the property, the city engineerCity
Engineer, its agents, officers, and employees may enter upon privately owned property for the
purpose of performing their duties under this article and associated regulations and may make
or cause to be made such examinations, surveys or sampling as the city engineer City Engineer
deems reasonably necessary.
(78)
Appeals. The decisions or orders of the city engineer City Engineer shall be final. Further
relief shall be to a court of competent jurisdiction.
(89)
Remedies not exclusive. The remedies listed in this article are not exclusive of any other
remedies available under any applicable federal, state or local law.
K. Transitional provisions. Residential property owners shall have 90 days from the effective
date of this article to comply with its provisions, provided that good cause is shown for the
failure to comply during that period.
Be it further ordained by the City Council, Section 1-11(b) of the Code of Ordinances is hereby
amended, by adding the following:
Offense
Fine
Enforcing Personnel
Illicit Discharge (Sec. 11-
146)
1st offense: warning$
2nd offense: $100
3rd & subsequent offense: $300
Trench Inspector,
Engineering DivisonCity
Engineer
APPROVED:
City Council
President