B. Seasonal Irrigation Meter Fee Discussion0
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Administration
Phone: 952.227.1100
Fax: 952.227.1110
Building Inspections
Phone: 952.227.1180
Fax: 952.227.1190
Engineering
Phone: 952.227.1160
Fax: 952.227.1170
Finance
Phone: 952.227.1140
Fax: 952.227.1110
Park & Recreation
Phone: 952.227.1120
Fax: 952.227.1110
Recreation Center
2310 Coulter Boulevard
Phone: 952.227.1400
Fax: 952.227.1404
Planning &
Natural Resources
Phone: 952.227.1130
Fax: 952.227.1110
Public Works
7901 Park Place
Phone: 952.227.1300
Fax: 952.227.1310
Senior Center
Phone: 952.227.1125
Fax: 952.227.1110
Web Site
www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us
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TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM: Paul Oehme, Director of Public Works /City Engineer Y'e D
DATE: November 28, 2011 6j
I
SUBJ: Seasonal Irrigation Meter Fee Discussion.
BACKGROUND
Seasonal irrigation meters are defined as those that are placed in outdoor meter set
assemblies for the purpose of irrigation, decorative fountains, swimming pools, or
other seasonal, warm weather uses. These differ from other meters in that these
must be removed and stored in a heated environment before the cold weather
months approach to prevent damage from freezing. Chanhassen currently has 77
of these unique meter accounts in place. In some municipalities the removal and
installation of seasonal meters is done by private independent irrigation
contractors, as they are already providing the services of removing the backflow
device (RPZ), blowing out the system for winter, and maintaining the irrigation
system.
Below is a comparison of communities that responded to our request for seasonal
meter operation.
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City
Turn
Removal
Fee
Water
Fee
City
of
Charged
on /off at
Charged
Comments
Irrigation
Curb
Meters
Champlin
No
NA
Yes
No
Irrigation contractors
Owners need to remove the meter, then
Chaska
Yes/No
No
Yes
$25 to
PW will pick up meter and store it for
turn on
the winter, no charge to store or turn
water off
Farmington
No
NA
Yes
$70
Charged for turning off and then again
for turning on
Inver Grove
Yes
No
Yes
$50
Charged for turning off and then again
Heights
for turning on
Lino Lakes
No
NA
Yes
No
Oakdale
No
NA
Yes
on
No fee to turn off
turn
Prior Lake
Yes
No
Yes
no
Yearly maintenance fee that covers them
Savage
No
NA
Yes
$100
turning water on and off - would also
cover cost of any repairs
Eagan
Yes
$50
Yes
Charge is for seasonal meter install and
to turn water on
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Approximately ten years ago Chanhassen Utility Department staff elected to place
the task of collecting, storing, and reinstalling seasonal meters on themselves.
This was done as a well intentioned gesture of goodwill but the inventory of
seasonal meters continues to grow as does the labor hours need to facilitate this
operation. The meters are installed in May and removed in October. Annually it
takes approximately 85 hours of Utility Dept. labor to manage, as well as several
hours of administrational labor to take appointments, field calls from customers,
etc. This year in particular, due to the lack of rainfall and unseasonably warm
temperatures we received many calls from customers requesting that they be
allowed to keep their meters past the usual collection time of mid October.
Upon review of this increasing labor demand it is the recommendation the
practice be discontinued, and the management of seasonal meters be returned
back to the individual account holders to remove the meters on their own
scheduled time. The owner would assume all damages to their meters as it is their
purchased property. They will also have the benefit of choosing when their meter
is installed and removed dependant on their own needs. As previously mentioned
the majority of these systems are already being managed by private irrigation
companies, and they are accustomed to this from other cities.
The fall of the year is an especially busy time for the Utility department. The
department completes the annual flushing of the water system, fix any inoperable
gate valves and hydrants that were identified during flushing, tune water services
off for property owners leaving for the winter and completing sewer jetting and
seasonal maintenance of lift station. By allowing the owner to take responsible
for installing and maintenance of the meter this will free up more time for the
Utility department to complete annual maintenance of the utility system.
Utility department staff will still need to be notified to turn the water on and off to
the meter -set as this requires a curb box key and by city code Sec. 19 -18(b) must
be done by city staff. This gives Utility Dept staff the opportunity to visually
inspect the meter for damage and to verify the serviceability of the meter radio
transmitter.
g: \eng \paul\memos \bkgd ws irrigation meter fee discussion 11281 Ldoc