CC SR 20240702 01 - Ab Cove Sewer Charge FY24-25
PUBLIC HEARING
Date: July 2, 2024
Subject:
Consideration and possible action to adjust the existing annual sewer service charge for Fiscal Year
2024-25 for the Abalone Cove Sewer System.
Recommendation:
(1) Conduct a public hearing on the proposed levy of the annual FY 2024-25 sewer service
charge for the Abalone Cove Sewer System; and
(2) Adopt Resolution No. 2024-__, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO PALOS VERDES APPROVING A REPORT IN CONNECTION WITH THE SEWER
SERVICE CHARGE ESTABLISEHD PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 13.06 OF THE RANCHO PALOS
VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE, DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF SUCH CHARGE FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2024-25, AND ORDERING THAT SUCH CHARGE BE COLLECTED ON THE TAX ROLL.
1. Report of Notice Given: City Clerk
2. Declare Public Hearing Open: Mayor Cruikshank
3. Request for Staff Report: Mayor Cruikshank
4. Staff Report & Recommendation: Brandon Mesker, Associate Engineer
5. Council Questions of Staff (factual and without bias):
6. Testimony from members of the public:
The normal time limit for each speaker is three (3) minutes. The Presiding Officer may grant additional time to a representative speaking
for an entire group. The Mayor also may adjust the time limit for individual speakers depending upon the number of speakers who
intend to speak.
7. Declare Hearing Closed/or Continue the Public Hearing to a later date: Mayor Cruikshank
8. Council Deliberation:
The Council may ask staff to address questions raised by the testimony, or to clarify matters. Staff and/or Council may also answer
questions posed by speakers during their testimony. The Council will then debate and/or make motions on the matter.
9. Council Action:
The Council may: vote on the item; offer amendments or substitute motions to decide the matter; reopen the hearing for additional
testimony; continue the matter to a later date for a decision.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 07/02/2024
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Public Hearing
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to adjust the existing annual sewer service charge for
Fiscal Year 2024-25 for the Abalone Cove Sewer System.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Conduct a public hearing on the proposed levy of the annual FY 2024-25 sewer
service charge for the Abalone Cove Sewer System; and
(2) Adopt Resolution No. 2024-__, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES APPROVING A REPORT IN CONNECTION
WITH THE SEWER SERVICE CHARGE ESTABLISEHD PURSUANT TO
CHAPTER 13.06 OF THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE,
DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF SUCH CHARGE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 -
25, AND ORDERING THAT SUCH CHARGE BE COLLECTED ON THE TAX
ROLL.
FISCAL IMPACT: The recommended Council action will result in the collection of
approximately $65,280 from users of the Abalone Cove Sewer
System through tax rolls in FY 2024-25. The remaining funding of
approximately $317,095 will be funded from multiple funds in the
General Fund, fund balance in Abalone Cove Sewer Fund, and
Improvement Authority Abalone Cove. The total operating and
general maintenance budget is $382,375. VR
Amount Budgeted: $382,375
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): 101-400-3160-5201 $($52,175)
(Sewer Maintenance – Repair & Maintenance Service)
225-400-0000-5201 ($115,700)
(Abalone Cove Sewer Maintenance Fund – Repair &
Maintenance Service)
225-400-0000-5304 ($4,000)
(Abalone Cove Sewer Maintenance Fund – Electricity)
795-400-0000-5304 ($2,500)
(Abalone Cove Improvement Authority – Electricity)
225-400-0000-5101 ($36,000)
(Abalone Cove Sewer Maintenance Fund –
Professional/Technical Services)
101-400-3110-41XX ($172,000)
(Public Works Administration) VR
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ORIGINATED BY: Brandon Mesker, Associate Engineer
REVIEWED BY: Ramzi Awwad, Director of Public Works
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Resolution No. 2024-____ (page A-1)
B. Annual Engineer’s Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal
Year 2024-25 (page B-1)
BACKGROUND:
To ensure funding for the operation and maintenance of the sanitary sewer facilities in
the Abalone Cove area, the City Council established the Abalone Cove Sewer Service
Charge. The Sewer Service Charge ensures a fair and equitable levying of the necessary
costs of operating and maintaining the facilities and was established in compliance with
the provisions of Proposition 218. Mailed notices were sent to all affected property owners
and a public hearing was held on July 17, 2001. Since there was not a maj ority of written
protests, the charge was established. Additionally, the establishment of the charge
included an annual increase commensurate with inflation, not -to-exceed a maximum of
7%.
The City Council annually reviews the current and projected costs for operating and
maintaining the sewer facilities and sets rates for the ensuing fiscal year , which runs
between July 1 and June 30. In setting the annual rates, the City Council considers new
or updated maintenance costs identified in an engineer’s report (Attachment B), any fund
balances or shortages, and adjusts the rates accordingly. The Abalone Cove Sewer
Charge is levied under the authority of the California Health and Safety Code. Payment
of the charges for each parcel will be made in the same manner and at the same time as
payments are made for county property taxes for each property.
Since its inception, the annual revenue from the charge has ranged from $21,595 (FY
2001-02 and FY 2002-03) to $62,297 (FY 2023-24). Each parcel is charged pursuant to
the specific subsystem of the overall sanitary sewer system used by that parcel as
established in the Council-adopted ordinance. At the inception of the charge, the then-
City Council agreed to subsidize the cost of maintaining the system to reduce the charges
to property owners for FY 2001-02 only, and to review the subsidy each year thereafter,
during the budget process to determine if it should be discontinued, reduced or otherwise
altered as deemed appropriate by the City Council. To date, the City’s subsidy has
continued.
DISCUSSION:
An annual engineer’s report (Attachment B) determines the zone and charge for each
parcel using the procedure discussed below.
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1) The amount of sewage flow generated by a parcel is calculated using a standard
formula from the Los Angeles County Sanitation District s. Vacant parcels are
assigned a sewage flow rate of zero.
2) The components of the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer System used by that parcel
are identified. This is necessary because the sewer system is comprised of
subsystems with different operations and maintenance (O&M) needs. Some
parcels use multiple subsystems, so each parcel is assigned to one of four zones.
These zones are established based on the combination of subsystems used. The
zones are as follows:
a. Zone A – Gravity subsystem
b. Zone B – Gravity and force main subsystem
c. Zone C – Gravity and low-pressure subsystem
d. Zone D – Gravity, force main, and low-pressure subsystem
3) The O&M costs of each zone are calculated using the estimated maintenance
costs for the upcoming fiscal year. The City’s practice has been to not include
capital projects or sewer asset management (i.e. annualized life-cycle component
replacement and repair).
4) The proportional cost for each parcel is determined by applying the fractional flow
generated by that parcel to the zone’s O&M costs, to which that parcel belongs.
The procedure outlined above assures that the levy assessed to each parcel is
commensurate with that parcel’s system use; and, therefore, operating and maintenance
costs.
Since its inception, the charge has been less than the amount needed to operate and
maintain the sewer system. The City has subsidized the operation and maintenance of
the sewer system through transfers from the General Fund to the Abalone Cove Sewer
Maintenance Fund, and this is budgeted to continue in FY 2024-25 in the amount of
$317,095. Additionally, pursuant to Ordinance No. 367U and subsequently Ordinance No.
368, the annual increase in the charge has been no greater than the annual increase in
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for
the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Area (CPI), as of March 1 of each year; not to
exceed a maximum increase of 7% per year. The March 1 CPI for 2024 is 4.0%.
The annual engineer’s report for FY 2024-25 shows that the total O&M cost for the sewer
system is estimated to be $382,375. Due to an error, two parcels were not included in last
year’s Abalone Cove Sewer Charge, however, they have been included in this year’s.
Table 1 on the next page shows the budget by cost category.
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Table 1 – Abalone Cove Sewer Maintenance and Operations Budget for FY 2024-25
Account Description Budget Cost Description
Preventative Line Maintenance $17,100 Line Jetting and Inspection
Preventative Pump Maintenance $8,300 Pump Part Replacement and Install
Pump Replacement $33,000 Purchase and Install of New Pumps
Emergency Repair $134,900 Emergency Response to Breaks, Blockages, or
Other Failures
Electricity $6,500 Electricity Costs for Lift Stations
Professional/Technical Services $10,700 Engineer's Report, Answering Services, etc.
Personnel $171,800 Employee Salaries & Benefits
Total $382,300
The budget for FY 2024-25 is estimated to be much higher than has historically been the
case because there has been a major increase in repair costs due to landslide movement
affecting the system. Table 2 on the next page shows the operating and maintenance
costs going back to FY 2020-21. The estimated higher cost for FY24-25 is reflected in a
much greater budget for personnel costs as well as emergency repairs to respond to land
movement-related issues. Approximately one-sixth of all maintenance staff time is
estimated to be dedicated to the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer during FY 2024-25. The
budget for repairs and the amount of staff time allocated to the sanitary sewer is expected
to decrease in future years as land movement slows in response to measures being
implemented by the Abalone Cove Landslide Hazard Abatement District (ACLAD).
CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
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Table 2 – Abalone Cove Sewer Maintenance and Operations Actual Costs
Account Description FY2019-
20 Actual
FY2020-
21 Actual
FY2021-
22 Actual
FY2022-
23 Actual
FY2023-24
Estimated
Repair and Maintenance $98,100 $62,000 $81,100 $75,200 $58,400
Emergency Repair $0 $0 $0 $0 $134,900
Electricity $2,100 $3,400 $3,800 $2,800 $6,500
Professional Technical Services $7,000 $19,200 $27,000 $71,300 $10,700
Personnel $17,100 $15,500 $15,700 $15,900 $171,800
Total $124,300 $100,100 $127,600 $165,200 $382,300
The proposed total annual charge is $65,280, which is approximately 17% of the total
estimated operating and maintenance cost for FY 2024-25. The remaining approximately
83%, or $317,095, will be funded from General Fund, General Fund Transfers-In, and
Abalone Cove Sewer Fund, as shown in Table 3 below.
Table 3 – Abalone Cove Sewer Maintenance and Operations
FY2024-25
General Fund – Administration/Sewer Maintenance $88,895
General Fund – Transfers- In $70,000
Abalone Cove Sewer District Fund – Electricity,
Repairs & Maintenance, Professional and Technical $155,700
IA Abalone Cove Sewer -Electricity $2,500
Total $317,095
The proposed FY 2024-25 annual charge is an increase of 4.0% from the prior fiscal year.
The charge for a single-family parcel ranges from $208.47 to $913.79 per year, depending
on the zone in which the parcel is located. This represents an increase of $8.02 to $35.15
from FY 2023-24, depending on the zone.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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Wayfarers Chapel
According to the assessment formula discussed earlier in this staff report, Wayfarers
Chapel is assessed $300 annually for use of the Abalone Cove Sewer System. At this
time, the City is aware that Wayfarers Chapel is closed to the public and the chapel has
been deconstructed. The Engineers Report (Attachment B) assumed the continued use
of plumbing within the overall campus. If that use changes, Wayfarers Chapel may submit
a request to the City to discontinue the sewer charge, and the request will be processed
at that time.
Public Notification
On June 13 and June 20, 2024, the City published the official notification for tonight’s
meeting in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News. The notification advertised that a public
hearing would be conducted on July 2 at Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park. An additional
public notice of tonight’s meeting was sent to property owners within the Abalone Cove
Sewer District by U.S. Mail on June 13, 2024.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation s, the following alternative action is available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Reduce, eliminate, or increase the Charge. The proposed FY 2024-25
charges are at the maximum allowable rates under the ordinance, and to
increase the charges above these rates would require the City Council to
undertake the notice and protest procedures in compliance with Proposition
218. The City is required by law to ensure the safe operation and
maintenance of the sewer systems it owns. The engineer’s report includes
the best estimates of the necessary revenues to operate and maintain the
system. Thus, the City would need to continue to fund the estimated
operation and maintenance costs to minimize the likelihood of system
failures and avoid regulatory fines in the event of system failures.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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01203.0006/993516.1
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-__
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES APPROVING A REPORT
IN CONNECTION WITH THE SEWER SERVICE CHARGE
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 13.06 OF THE
RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE,
DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF SUCH CHARGE FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2024-25, AND ORDERING THAT SUCH
CHARGE BE COLLECTED ON THE TAX ROLL
WHEREAS, the California Government Code requires that fees for services
charged by municipalities not exceed the cost of providing the service for which the fee
is levied and that no fee or service charge or increase in an existing fee or charge may
be levied without the public having an opportunity to make oral or written public
comment at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting; and
WHEREAS, the Abalone Cove Sewer System is owned, operated, and
maintained by the City of Rancho Palos Verdes; and
WHEREAS, on August 7, 2001, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Ordinance No. 368, which established sewer maintenance fees for the
Abalone Cove Sewer System as set forth in Chapter 13.06 (Sewer Service Charges –
Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District) of Title 13 (Public Services) of the Rancho
Palos Verdes Municipal Code (“RPVMC”); and
WHEREAS, current sewer maintenance fees collected by the City do not
adequately cover the full operation and maintenance costs for the Abalone Cove Sewer
System; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Sections 66013 and 66016 authorize the City to
impose sewer connection fees (“Charge”); and
WHEREAS, City Staff has determined that an Engineer’s Report is necessary to
determine the Charge for Fiscal Year 2024-25 and the Charge be increased from the
Charge for the prior Fiscal Year; but to have the charge not exceed the maximum
amount authorized pursuant to the Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, City Staff desires to file a written report (the “Engineer’s Report”)
with the City Clerk, containing a description of each parcel of real property receiving
Sewer Services and the amount of the Charge for each such parcel for Fiscal Year
2024-25 (commencing July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025) including an increase of
4.0% based on the March 2024 Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles -Anaheim-
Riverside Area, computed in conformity with the Ordinance. Such Report is on file in the
office of the City Clerk and incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, on June 13, 2024, a public notice announcing the City Council’s
public hearing and review of the proposed amendment to establish a sewer connection
A-1
01203.0006/993516.2 -2-
fee for new connections to the Abalone Cove Sewer System was published in the Palos
Verdes Peninsula News.; and
WHEREAS, based upon the annual increase in the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for the Los Angeles -Long
Beach-Anaheim Area, as of March 1, the City Council now desires to increase the
Abalone Cove Sewer System service fee by 4% for FY 2024-25.
THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, ORDERS AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council finds:
A. Pursuant to Chapter 13.06 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal
Code and Ordinance No. 367U (the “Ordinance”), the City levies an annual sewer
service charge (the “Charge”) on each parcel of real property in the Abalone Cove
Landslide Abatement District that is connected to the sanitary sewer system. The
Charge is levied to finance the costs of ongoing operation and maintenance of sewer
facilities and services (“Sewer Services”).
B. As authorized by Section 5473 of the California Health and Safety
Code, the Charge is collected for each fiscal year on the County of Los Angeles tax roll
in the same manner, by the same persons, and at the same time as, together with and
not separately from, the general taxes of the City.
C. A written report (the “Engineer’s Report”) has been filed with the
City Clerk, containing a description of each parcel of real property receiving Sewer
Services and the amount of the Charge for each such parcel for Fiscal Year 20 24-25
(commencing July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025) including an increase of 4.0%
based on the March 2024 Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) for the Los Angeles-Anaheim-
Riverside Area, computed in conformity with the Ordinance. Such Report is on file in
the office of the City Clerk and incorporated herein by reference.
D. The Engineer’s Report provides that the Charge for Fiscal Year
2024-25 be increased from the Charge for the prior Fiscal Year; but the charge does not
exceed the maximum amount authorized pursuant to the Ordinance.
E. The City Clerk caused notice of a hearing on the Report to be
published in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News on June 13, 2024, and June 20, 2024.
F. The City Council held a public hearing on the Engineer’s Report on
July 2, 2024. At such hearing, the City Council heard and considered all objections and
protests, if any, to the Report and all testimony regarding the proposed levy of the
Charge for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Section 2. The City Council hereby overrules any and all objections to the
Engineer’s Report; determines that no majority protest against the Engineer’s Report,
determined in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 5473.2, exists;
approves and finally adopts the Engineer’s Report as filed; determines that the Charge
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01203.0006/993516.2 -3-
for Fiscal Year 2024-25 against each parcel described in the Engineer’s Report shall be
as described in the Engineer’s Report; and orders that the Charge shall be collected for
Fiscal Year 2024-25 on the County of Los Angeles tax roll in the same manner, by the
same persons, and at the same time as, together with and not separately from, the
general taxes of the City.
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to file a copy of the Engineer’s Report,
with a statement endorsed on the Engineer’s Report over the City Clerk’s signature that
the Engineer’s Report has been approved and finally adopted, with the City Treasurer
on or before August 10, 2024, pursuant to Section 5 of the Ordinance.
Section 4. This resolution is exempt from the California Environmental Quality
Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines because the sewer
Charge constitutes a government funding mechanism or other government fiscal activity
which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a
potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
Section 5. The City Clerk is directed to file a copy of the Engineer’s Report,
with a statement endorsed on the Engineer’s Report over the City Clerk’s signature that
the Engineer’s Report has been approved and finally adopted, with the County Auditor
of the County of Los Angeles on or before August 10, 2024, pursuant to Section 6 of the
Ordinance.
Section 6. The City Clerk is authorized to take such other action as is required
to implement this Resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of July, 2024.
_____________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________
City Clerk
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
City of Rancho Palos Verdes )
I, TERESA TAKAOKA, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify
that the above Resolution No. 2024-__ was duly and regularly passed and adopted by
the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on July 2, 2024.
______________________________
City Clerk
A-3
ANNUAL REPORT
Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge
Fiscal Year 2024-25
Prepared for the
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Los Angeles County, California
June 18, 2024 B-1
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
Page | 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Certificates .........................................................Pg. 1
Introduction .......................................................Pg. 2
Cost Estimates....................................................Pg. 3
Annual Charge Rate Calculations ......................Pg. 4
APPENDIX
Preliminary Sewer Charge Roll
B-2
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report -Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge -Fiscal Year 2024-25
Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual Report
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge
The undersigned respectfully submits the enclosed report.
DATED : June 18, 2024
June 18, 2024
'/i....,
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the enclosed Engineer's Report, was filed with me on the / f' day of
~ n.t..-2024.
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk,
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Los Angeles County, California
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the enclosed Engineer's Report, was approved and confirmed by the City
Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on the / f""-day of ~ , 2024.
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk,
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Los Angeles County, California
Page I 1
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
Page | 2
INTRODUCTION
To insure a flow of funds for the on‐going operation and maintenance of the sewer facilities in the
Abalone Cove area, the City Council formed the Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge. This Sewer
Service Charge ensures a fair and equitable levying of the necessary costs of operating and
maintaining of the facilities and was established in compliance with the provisions of Proposition 218,
Article XIIID of the California Constitution, Section 6(b).
The maximum rates, which may be levied for each Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), may be increased
automatically by the annual increase in Consumer Price Index (CPI), as described in the City’s Code
13.06.020. Additionally, Mailed notices were sent to all affected property owners and the Public
Hearing was held on July 17, 2001. Since there was not a majority of written protests, the charge was
established with a not to exceed maximum increase of seven percent (7%) each year.
This report, as signed and presented to the Council for approval, has been prepared according to the
methodology and rates approved by the City Council in 2001.
The City Council annually reviews the current and projected year's costs for the operation and
maintenance of the sewer facilities and sets the rates for the ensuing fiscal year, which runs between
July 1 and June 30. In setting the annual rates, the City Council will consider any new or updated
maintenance costs, any fund balances or shortages, and adjust the rates accordingly.
The Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge is levied under the authority of the California Health and
Safety Code, Sections 5471 et seq. (the "Code"). Payment of the charges for each parcel will be made
in the same manner and at the same time as payments are made for county property taxes for each
property.
This report contains the necessary data required to establish the annual charge rates and is submitted
to the City Clerk for filing in the office of the City Clerk where it shall remain open for public inspection.
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
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COST ESTIMATE
The estimated annual cost of the Abalone Cove Sewer System is provided below in Table 1.
Table 1 – Estimated Annual Costs
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
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ANNUAL CHARGE RATE CALCULATIONS
The rate structure for the Sewer Service Charge is based on the amount of sewage flow generated by
each parcel of land within the sewer system service area.
Equivalent Residential Units
The sewer flow rates used to calculate this User Charge are based on the Los Angeles County
Sanitation District (LACSD) standards, as outlined in their Master Service Charge Ordinance of South
Bay Cities Sanitation District of Los Angeles County, as adopted on March 18, 1998. This ordinance
describes the user categories and mean loading of sewer usage for flow in the South Bay Cities
Sanitation District of Los Angeles County.
Using these standards, residential parcels with single family homes are assigned a flow rate of 260
Gallons Per Day (GPD). Therefore, 260 GPD is defined as 1 Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) and all
other parcels are charged based on the number of ERUs calculated on their property for their
particular use. The total flow rate for each parcel is divided by 260 to calculate the number of ERUs
assigned to the parcel. Vacant parcels have no sewer flow associated with them and therefore would
be assigned 0 ERUs.
The Abalone Cove Beach property flow rate was calculated based on the future improvements to the
beach (consisting of 7 toilet facilities and 2 showers). The flow rates for these facilities were based
on information provided by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, and are shown below in
Table 2.
Table 2 provides a summary of the user categories in the Abalone Cove sewer service area, the
assigned flow rates, and the ERU calculation for each.
Table 2 – ERU Calculation Summary Table
Land use Description Flow (GDP) ERU Calc.
Single Family Home 260 / home 1 / home
Church 50 / 1000 bldg sf 0.19 / 1000 bldg sf
School/Nursery 200 / 1000 bldg sf 0.77 / 1000 bldg sf
Beach Toilet 120 / toilet 0.46 / toilet
Beach Shower 85 / shower 0.33 / shower
Vacant 0 0
Sewer System Components
The Abalone Cove sewer system is comprised of three types of components or subsystems:
A gravity subsystem,
A force main subsystem, and
A low‐pressure subsystem.
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These different and integrated subsystems collect flows from the sewer service area and ultimately
convey it to the LACSD outfall. Flows generated by each parcel are conveyed through one or more of
these subsystems.
Each of these subsystems requires different levels of operation and maintenance and, therefore, have
different costs associated with the annual estimated maintenance costs. Parcels that contribute flow
to a subsystem will be charged for the operation and maintenance of that subsystem. Because the
entire Abalone Cove sewer system flows into the Palos Verdes Drive Pump Station and the 6‐inch force
main and gravity system between the pump station and the LACSD outfall, all users of the system will
be charged for the operation and maintenance of these facilities. The following describes each
subsystem:
Gravity Subsystem. Gravity systems are the most basic of sewer systems and require minimal
routine maintenance. Parcels connected to the Gravity Subsystem would be responsible for
sharing the costs associated with maintenance of the gravity system. All parcels within the service
area contribute to this subsystem, as sewage flows contributed by each parcel are eventually
discharged into the gravity subsystem.
Force Main Subsystem. Force main subsystems include pump station and pressurized pipes in
addition to gravity lines. Parcels connected to the Force Main Subsystem would be responsible
for sharing the additional costs associated with the operation and maintenance of those
components. The pump stations for these lines are located at Thyme Place, Sweetbay East and
Sweetbay at Altamira Canyon.
Low Pressure Subsystem. Low pressure subsystems include grinder pumps at each user
connection to the system as well as low pressure pipes. Parcels connected to the Low Pressure
Subsystem would be responsible for sharing the associated operation and maintenance costs of
those components.
A few parcels that are connected to the gravity subsystem or the force main subsystem require
the use of a grinder pump to get their flow into the system. These parcels share in the cost of
grinder pump maintenance and are considered to be a part of the low pressure subsystem.
Rate Zones
A system of zones was developed to identify the specific combination of subsystems used by each
contributing parcel. These zones are as follows:
Zone A ‐ Gravity subsystem only
Zone B ‐ Gravity & Force Main subsystems
Zone C ‐ Gravity & Low Pressure subsystems
Zone D ‐ Gravity & Force Main & Low Pressure subsystems
Inventory of Parcels
Table 3 and Table 4, on the following page, were compiled from information obtained from the Los
Angeles County Assessor’s Roll, Assessor’s Parcel Maps, and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
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June 18, 2024
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Table 3 – Land Use Inventory
Table 4 – ERU Distribution by Rate Zone and Subsystem
Table 5 provides a summary of the annual Sewer User Charge rates for each of the Rate Zones.
Table 5 – Summary of Annual Charge Rates per ERU
Table 6 provides the annual charge rates for Fiscal Year 2024‐25 and shows the calculated maximum
rates. The maximum rates, which may be levied for each ERU, may be increased automatically by the
annual increase in Consumer Price Index, as described in the City’s Code 13.06.020. Accordingly, the CPI
for this Fiscal Year has been determined to be 4.0%.
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
Page | 7
Table 6 – Summary of Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge Rates
Table 7 – Sample Calculations
The Preliminary Sewer Charge Roll, which is a listing of each parcel within this sewer charge area and
its proposed sewer charge for Fiscal Year 2024‐25, is provided in the Appendix.
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
Page | 8
Appendix
Preliminary Sewer Service Charge Roll
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
Page | 9
Preliminary Sewer Service Charge Roll
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Annual Report – Abalone Cove Sewer Service Charge – Fiscal Year 2024-25
June 18, 2024
Page | 10
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