NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held before the City Council (“City Council”) of the City of Big Bear Lake (“City”) on June 29, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, at Big Bear Lake City Hall, 39707 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, California. At the public hearing, the City Council will consider the adoption of a resolution establishing increases to the rates for the City’s Sewer User Fees.

Should the City determine that, due to a state of emergency or public health concerns, the meeting at which the hearing will be held will be entirely virtual, in accordance with AB 361 or other applicable law, information to that effect will be posted on the City’s website as soon as such information is available and in accordance with the law, and will be included on the meeting agenda for the public hearing to the extent possible.

BASIS UPON WHICH SEWER RATES ARE CALCULATED

The City’s sewer rates are composed of two components – the City Sewer User Fee (“City Fee”), and the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Authority (“BBARWA”) Sewer User Fee (“BBARWA Fee”). Each component of the sewer rates is imposed based on the number of equivalent dwelling units (“EDUs”) assigned to a particular property. The sewer rates include annual flat charges per parcel, which have historically been collected (and which the City proposes to continue to collect) on the property tax bill. EDUs are assigned pursuant to the table included herein.

The City does not impose the City Fee on unimproved parcels (vacant land). BBARWA charges a flat fee on such parcels based on the size of the parcel. The unimproved parcel fee is not proposed to change at this time.

REASONS FOR PROPOSED INCREASES

The City contracts with BBARWA for the treatment and disposal of the City’s wastewater.  BBARWA has informed the City that it plans to implement rate increases over a five year period, commencing July 1, 2023, with increases effective each July 1 thereafter through and including July 1, 2027. BBARWA is increasing its rates in order to pay for increased costs associated with treatment and disposal of wastewater, as well as costs associated with Replenish Big Bear. As a result, the City is proposing to increase the BBARWA Fee to recover the increased rates imposed on the City by BBARWA.

Additionally, the City previously adopted rates for the City Fee pursuant to Ordinance No. 2019-473 on October 28, 2019. In accordance with Ordinance No. 2019-473, the City Fee has been increased annually based on inflation. At this time, the City is proposing to adopt the City Fee, as previously increased for inflation. Additionally, the City proposes to continue to pass through costs associated with inflation, as described in greater detail below.

PASS-THROUGH AUTHORITY FOR INFLATION AND BBARWA COST INCREASES

At this time, the City does not anticipate that BBARWA will increase the rates it imposes on the City by more than what is set forth in the rate table included herein. The proposed BBARWA Pass-Through will only impact the BBARWA Fee, and the rates referenced herein represent the maximum allowable pass-through to be assessed by the City of Big Bear Lake on behalf of BBARWA for each of the next five years.

Additionally, the City anticipates that the cost to provide sewer service recovered through the City Fee will continue to be supported by inflationary adjustments. As such, in order to continue providing safe and efficient sewer service, the City proposes to continue the pass through of inflationary increases to the City Fee by an amount equal to the greater of the annual percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index, All items, for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Area (“CPI”), as determined by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, or its successor (“CPI Pass-Through”), or 2%. The CPI Pass-Through shall be equal to the percentage amount derived by comparing the rate for March of the previous calendar year, to the rate for the most recent March; provided, however, in no event shall the rates for the Sewer User Fees increase as a result of the CPI by more than 5% annually, and provided further that in no event shall such rates increase by more than the cost of providing sewer service. 

Prior to implementing a BBARWA Pass-Through or CPI Pass-Through, the City will provide 30 days’ notice to all impacted property owners.

PROPOSED RATES

The City Fee and BBARWA Fee set forth below are imposed on an annual basis. The City has historically collected such fees on the property tax roll and proposes to continue doing so in future years.

City Fee:

The City proposes to continue its existing City Fee at a rate of $282.08 per EDU, effective July 1, 2023. The City Fee is proposed to increase annually pursuant to the CPI Pass-Through described above.

BBARWA Fee:

The rates for the BBARWA Fee vary based on whether the parcels are improved or unimproved, and the size of unimproved parcels.

	July 1, 2023	July 1, 2024	July 1, 2025	July 1, 2026	July 1, 2027
Improved per EDU	$311.83	$365.77	$431.35	$509.03	$601.20
Unimproved (<1 Acre)	$20.00	$20.00	$20.00	$20.00	$20.00
Unimproved (>1 Acre)	$30.00	$30.00	$30.00	$30.00	$30.00

 

EDUs are assigned to property based on the following table, which reflects the proportionate strength and flow characteristics of different property types:

RESIDENTIAL	EDU
SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, per living unit	1
MOTELS, for every 3 separate overnight units	1
MOBILE HOME PARKS
Clubhouse +	1
For every 4 mobile home spaces	3
ROOMING HOUSES, for every 3 occupants
COMMERCIAL	EDU
CHURCHES
With Kitchen	2
Without Kitchen	1
CONFERENCE CENTERS
For every 3 overnight rooms +	1
With Restaurant – for every 10 seats +	1
With bar	2
GOLF COURSES
Golf Course +	1
For every 20 plumbing fixture units +	1
With Restaurant – for every 10 seats +	1
With bar	2
HOSPITALS
For every 2 bed spaces	1
LAUNDRIES
For every 750 pounds of dry wash per day	1
LAUNDROMATS
For every automatic washer	1
MEETING HALLS
With Kitchen	2
Without Kitchen	1
RECREATIONAL TRAILER PARKS
Park +	1
For every 2 trailer spaces	1
RESTAURANTS
For every 10 customer seats +	1
With Bar	2
SCHOOLS
For every 25 occupants	1
TAVERNS	3
COMMERCIAL - GENERAL	EDU
Any Commercial establishment not specified above –
For every 20 plumbing fixture units	1
SPECIAL CASES
Commercial or other properties which do not fall within any of the above identified classes of customers and which discharge into the public sewer an unusually high volume of domestic sewage, shall be assigned EDU’s by the Public Works Department and charged the corresponding rate per EDU as described herein.

PUBLIC HEARING AND PROTESTS

Any property owner may submit a written protest to the proposed rate increases to the City’s Sewer User Fees; provided, however, only one protest will be counted per identified parcel.  Any written protest must:  (1) state that the identified property owner is in opposition to the proposed rate increase to the Sewer User Fees; (2) provide the location of the identified parcel (by assessor’s parcel number or street address); and (3) include the name and signature of the property owner submitting the protest.  Written protests may be submitted by mail to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 10000, Big Bear Lake California 92315, in person at 39707 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, California 92315, or at the Public Hearing (date and time noted above), provided they are received prior to the conclusion of the public comment portion of the Public Hearing.  Any protest submitted via e-mail or other electronic means will not be accepted.  Please identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the City Clerk, Attn:  Public Hearing on Rate Increases.

The City Council will hear and consider all written and oral protests to the proposed rate increases at the Public Hearing.  Oral comments at the Public Hearing will not qualify as formal protests unless accompanied by a written protest.  Upon the conclusion of the Public Hearing, the City Council will consider adoption of a resolution authorizing the rate increases to the City’s Sewer User Fees as described herein.  If written protests against the proposed rate increases to the Sewer User Fees as outlined above are not presented by a majority of property owners of the identified parcels upon which the rates are proposed to be imposed, the City Council will be authorized to impose the respective rate increases and to increase the rates in future years for BBWARA and CPI Pass-Throughs. If adopted, the proposed rate increases to the annual Sewer User Fees will be in effect beginning July 1, 2023, and will increase annually in accordance with this notice. 

For further details regarding the basis and reasons for the proposed rate increases to the City’s sewer user fees or for any questions you may have regarding your customer classification or the proposed fees to be imposed on your parcel, please contact the City’s Finance Department at or at (909) 866-5831. 

Please note that there is a 120 day statute of limitations to challenge the sewer rates described herein. The statute of limitations commences from the effective date of the resolution or ordinance adopting the new or increased rates for sewer service.