Title
A RESOLUTION TO TEMPORARILY ESTABLISH PERMIT APPLICATION FEES RELATED TO LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, the City of Duluth recognizes the presence of lead service lines within its water distribution system and acknowledges the importance of ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of its residents by replacing those lead service lines; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) mandates regulations requiring water systems to replace lead water service pipes to safeguard children and adults from the significant and irreversible health effects of lead exposure in drinking water; and
WHEREAS, the City of Duluth aims to alleviate certain building and construction permit application fee burdens for lead service line replacement work mandated by said regulatory requirements and public health goals; and
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that permit application fees charged pursuant to the replacement of lead service lines shall be set as follows:
Permit |
Permit Fee |
Plumbing Permit (Exterior Water Service Line Into Building) |
$1 |
Plumbing Permit (Interior Water Meter and Service Line Connection) |
$1 |
Electrical Permit (Electrical Grounding Electrode Installation) |
$48 |
RESOLVED, FURTHER, that the permits fees established hereby shall be limited to projects undertaken directly by the City of Duluth for the replacement of lead service lines. Replacement of lead service lines by others or other miscellaneous work, or subcomponents thereof, shall not be eligible for this fee exception.
Statement of Purpose
This resolution authorizes the City to temporarily establish reduced permit fees related to lead service line replacements undertaken by the City. For such projects, and with the exception of electrical inspection, the Engineering division’s on-site inspector will fulfill the field oversight requirements associated with the identified permits, justifying the waiver of the permit fees. The waiver or reduction of fees also ensures that any City and/or grant dollars are maximally spent on the public health goal of replacing lead water service lines.