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BCC Minutes 02/18/2003 W (Water/Wasterwater Master Plan & Impact Fees/User Rate Study)February 18, 2003 TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE COLLIER COUNTY COMMISSION AND WATER & WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN, IMPACT FEE & USER RATE STUDY WORKSHOP Naples, Florida, February 18, 2003 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Commission & Water & Wastewater Master Plan, Impact Fee & User Rate Study Workshop in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:30 AM in REGULAR SESSION in Building "F of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following members present: CHAIRMAN: Commissioner Tom Henning Commissioner Frank Halas Commissioner Jim Coletta Commissioner Donna Fiala Commissioner Fred Coyle ALSO PRESENT: James DeLony, Public Utilities Administrator Jim Mudd, Collier County Manager Tom Wildes, Public Utilities Clarence Tears, SFWM Rob Ori, Public Resources Management Group Mike Pekkala, Greeley & Hansen John Yonkosky, Dir. Of CC Utility Billing & Cust. Serv. Page 1 Collier County Government Board of County Commissioners Water and Wastewater Master Plan, Impact Fee and User Rate Study Workshop Agenda February 18, 2003 9 a.m. - 12 Noon III. Opening Remarks - Jim DeLony Discussion A. Presentation and Discussion of Water and Wastewater Master Plan - Mike Pekkala, Greeley and Hansen B. Short Break C. Presentation and Discussion of Proposed Impact Fees - Rob Off, - Public Resources Management Group Inc. (PRMG) D. Short Break E. Presentation and Discussion of User Rates - Rob Ori, - Public Resources Management Group Inc. (PRMG) F. Presentation of Miscellaneous Fees and Tapping Charges - County Staff Closing Comments/Suggestions IV. Adjourn II. February 18, 2003 9:00 AM - 91st St. North Naples MSTU - A meeting of the Collier County Commissioners was held from 9:00 - 9:30 am. Opening Remarks for Water & Wastewater Master Plan, Impact Fee and User Rate Study Workshop - Jim DeLony-Public Utilities Administrator The Board of County Commissioners adopted the 2001 Water Sewer District Waste Water Master Plans - Impact Fee - and User Rate Study in December 2001 with a direction to update annually of each report. They presented the 2002 Updates to the Documents. Water and waste water plans identify the capital requirements to meet the Districts vision and provide the guide for the Districts long range planning and strategy. The Master Plan presented updates and strategy of the County wide 20 year Master Plan for the Districts Water Sewer Services and facilities. Neither Department receives tax revenues or other support from the General Fund. The total cost of operations, maintenance and capitol improvements have to be financed entirely from customer service revenues, and impact fees, miscellaneous fees for services, meter installation and back flow charges, user's rates, and other surcharges. Their presentation is on the anticipated growth. The user rate study identifies the revenues to comply with the bond associated with the outstanding debt of the Districts water/waste water utility systems. They have reviewed the studies and recommendations with the Productivity Committee, the Development Services Advisory Committee, and the Development Services Advisory Utility Sub-Committee and the Collier Building Industry Assn. They have taken their comments into consideration. Mr. DeLony introduced the team that will be doing the presentations. III. Discussion A. Presentation & Discussion of Water & Wastewater Master Plan Mike Pekkala - Associate of Greeley & Hansen Engineers - Consulting Engineers - Summary overview of the 2002 Water/Waste Water Master Plan updates - The purpose of the presentation is showing the methodology being consistent with what was used last year, to identify the differences between last year and this years updates and summarize recommendations from the updates. His power point presentation was given as a handout also and consisted of the following: Vision - Master Plan Sets Course for the Future Drivers for Master Plan Decisions - Capacity & Reliability Reliability for Excellent Customer Service - free from unusual taste, odors, noise, consistent supply & pressures in dry season and reasonable rates & assurance that operation is efficient. - Areas impacted by Goal of Reliability A chart displayed showing a very high growth and desire to minimize spending, drives utilities to Marginal Performance or Deficit Operation. Another chart was displayed showing the County in Deficit Operation range. - Performance Accomplishments - moving from reactive to proactive operations and planning Page 2 February 18, 2003 - reliability improvements at the South County Water Reclamation Facility - Service Areas - the same on the water side - no significant changes - 2 existing and 2 proposed water treatment plants in the same locations - 2 existing waste water plants and 3 proposed in the same locations - significant change - rural fringe areas smaller - Populations - Consistent with County Planning Services Dept., - Florida Bureau of Economic &Business Research (BEBR) - 2000 Census - Recent Certificate of Occupancy Data - Water-Sewer District in the future could include: - Existing District - Orange Tree (by 2012) - Rural Fringe - Golden Gate City - Planning is based on serving all the above areas. - Differences from 2001 - Size of Rural Fringe Areas is smaller - Estimates not available last year of the Rural Fringe Areas BEBR revised the methodology for population projections. Another chart showing the high average and medium population growths was presented. Will see a 70% increase both for water & sewer customers in the next 10 year period. (2002-2012) - Flows & Demands - Annual Average Per Capita Flow and Demand Estimates being used this same as last year. Chart was shown. - Total annual flow or demand divided by the total service area permanent the numbers shown. Commercial is included in the water and wastewater. Schedule for New Plant Construction - Takes 8 years from start to finish year are the population are Charts of the different proposed permitted capacity for the Water-Sewer District was shown and discussed. County Manager Jim Mudd wanted the Commissioners to take note of the 2002/2003. There are capacities with no reliability factors - last year they were in a week of no watering. It was tight last year and is again this year. They have done some things as far as additional well fields etc. to give them the reliability to use as much capacity as available. He expressed not getting into that type of a fix again. The North East plant is located in the Orange Tree area, and proposed South East plant will be located on Tamiami Trail and Isle of Capri Road. Page 3 February 18, 2003 Mr. Pekkala continued to discuss the water demand, constructed well capacities and wastewater flows. Clarence Tears - South Florida Waste/Water Management District - After reviewing the plan he stated it is a solid plan. It addresses expansion meeting future growth. It looks at ASR and reverse osmosis and provides protection against droughts. He likes they update the plan annually. They feel confident that the plan is following the direction of the lower west supply plant of the District based on Florida Statutes. Jim DeLony is asking the Commission to approve the necessary wells to meet demand with reliability. A question Commissioner Coletta asked was, what kind of guarantee they have for the people in the County and the farmers at the Tamiami aquifers that are used today that will meet future needs. It's a rain driven aquifer - as long as there are average rains every year the aquifers will be supported. The sewage treatment plant was built on averages and then they exceeded the average and got into serious trouble and Commissioner Coletta wondered if they would have the same problem 5-10 years from now with the Tamiami aquifers. Mr. Tears stated it is all based on averages. The future water supply building currently should get them through the droughts with very little impact with the deeper aquifers. They are protecting the existing demands on the surface aquifer. Going to the deeper aquifers they are minimizing impacts on the surface aquifer. Discussion was held on good conservation ordinances stabilizing the aquifers, the well fields, and the water supply. Mr. DeLony stated if they go for the deep aquifers, the water is there and can get in quantities to meet demand. The charts they saw earlier addresses the wells needed to pump the water and the plants they need to treat it and then distribute it to the customers. Today there are a total million gallons per day capacity well field pumping, they have 43.392 capacity and 50 is needed to have the reliability to provide the best value and reliable services. His intent is to get to that 50 capacity in the year 2004. After some discussion Commissioner Henning stated they are protecting the environment, the estuaries and providing for the residents and future residents in Collier County for their water resources. There were some concerns with the Golden Gate estates hauling water and septic tank fields and making sure there is no contamination in the aquifer. The Master Plan provides for bringing those customers to the water/sewer district. They work closely with the Health Dept. and know of no specifics of contamination. When there are high water Page 4 February 18, 2003 levels in the Estates there is concern for the functioning of the septic systems. In future as growth continues, the Utilities will have to address hooking them up to a sewer system and giving them public water supply. Mr. Pettaka continued with presentation on the wastewater flows and permitted capacities and the proposed plants. - Project Recommendations - schedule for new plants - Develop new wellfield sites for South County Regional WTP expansion - Develop new wellfield sites for the new Northeast Regional WTP - Improve system reliability - Water Treatment - South County Regional WTP Modifications - New NE Regional WTP - Water Transmission - Potable Water aquifer Storage & Recovery Waste/Water Treatment Biosolids Collection & Transmission Reclaimed Water Utility Services Asset Management Plan Staft Benchmarking Construct Public Utilities Operation Centers Commissioner Henning asked if there was a desire to take over Golden Gate City well. Mr. DeLony answered "no" unless there was a decision by the BCC to do it. If it were a decision, he would look at how it would fold into their current and planned expansion of their system. If that decision is made it would have to be made concurrent with the expansion of the system in a long range way. Mr. Mudd added that they have to deal with the size of Florida Government Utility Authority. Their authority with the quantity of customers is getting smaller with an overhead of about 30% and as their population decreases that overhead will get burdened onto the existing customers and they do not want to be the last County that has Florida Government Utility Authority in it. Discussion followed on the Golden Gate Estates area (East of Collier Blvd.) concerning the water/sewer, fire hydrants, county standards and payments being made by those that benefit. The build out figure does take into consideration of taking over Golden Gate City in about 8 years. The Master Plan needs to show the requirements so a decision can be made and the tools at their disposal for when & if the service can be provided. If the Commissioners decide that Golden Gate Estates needs to be brought into the Plan the decision will need to be done today and would be done in about the 8 years talked about. Page 5 February 18, 2003 Mr. DeLony stated there are three issues: 1) a distribution system that has to be put in that is not there. 2) Have to look at the wells and the plant capacities 3) Financials - benefit units or special taxing districts to arrive at revenues. It would not be easy or simple to take over Golden Gate City said Mr. DeLony. If they have debt, the County assumes that debt. Break- 10:35 AM Reconvened- 10:50 AM Tom Wildes - Operations Director - covered two Executive Summaries - one was the Water Master Plan and the other Waste Water Master Plan. The expenditures will be split between and among impact fees and user rate studies. B. Presentation and Discussion of Proposed Impact Fees Robert Ori - Public Resources Management Group Inc. - his presentation is on the Proposed Impact Fees: - Long Term Effect - Stabilize Rates for Service - Need to be reasonable - Reduce Debt Service Component of Rates for Existing Users Overview of Existing Impact Fees - Impact fees doubled in water and sewer last year Three classes of Customers Single Family Multi-family Non-Residential Level of Service Requirements Capital Expenditures required meeting LOS Level of Service Criteria for Determination of Impact Fees PRMG Impact Fee Analysis Capital Improvement Program Capital Costs recognized in next 10 years Calculated Water & Wastewater Impact Fees - Different fees were covered according to handout - Comparison of Water & Wastewater Impact Fees - Recovery of Impact Fee-Eligible Project Costs - Project Costs not recovered until full Utilization of Capacity - Recommendations - Decrease Water Impact Fee to Calculated Amount - Increase Wastewater Impact fee to Calculated Amount - Make proposal Impact Fee Changes Effective April 1, 2003 - Continue to review fees every year for adequacy/CIP changes Page 6 February 18, 2003 SPEAKERS David Ellis - Collier Building Industry Association - he is very pleased to see a long term plan for these facilities for the Community along with a funding plan in place and executing the plans within timeframe to avoid a crisis. Being the plan assumes water and wastewater facilities being prepared for in Golden Gate, Golden Gate City and in the Rural Fringe is an important thing to consider. They would be asking a family in Vanderbilt or East Naples to pay for a facility that services those areas, and those facilities may never be built. They are paying a fee for something that may never happen. In the short term this should be considered. Decisions need to be made whether to move ahead or not. Someone hooking up to a system could cost approx. $8-12,000 - it is an important decision to be made. Discussions need to be made and the sooner they are made and faced, the easier it is, the less costly and the community can be prepared. If these issues are not done then charges ought not to be made to the families. The families need to be prepared. He is glad staff is moving ahead with plans. A family not in the Golden Gate areas, on a sewer and water system that is paying an impact fee - to eventually build a plant in those areas, in theory, if not going to meet that need theoretically, those people building homes should not be charged for that eventuality today. Commissioner Coletta wants to be realistic when they are looking at these decisions. He doesn't feel the density will be in East Naples or Golden Gate City no matter how many homes are built. He does not know of a problem in those areas with wells, unless it would be from flooding and then contaminated. There will be strong resistance from him and many others in Golden Gate Estates when it isn't needed and would be cost prohibited. Mr. Ellis would strongly advice taking it out of the plan if that is the concern. It's good to plan, but to be realistic also. Mr. Mudd said there is nothing going out in the Estates, but with the State of Florida and the millions coming in, he cannot say there may not be as the State mandates in the future that that would happen. This has happened in couple of communities because of the State of Florida saying no more wells, no more septic. Mr. Tom Comrecode - Collier Building Industry Association - he felt last year they did not have a chance to exchange comments and ideas with staff and review the study, but this year it is different. He has quotes from the report and from the consultants in which they do include Golden Gate Estates in the plan. He is glad they have had 60 days to review and provide comments. He read a response to sewer in Golden Gate Estates from the consultants. Commissioner Coletta wanted to clarify that the people in Golden Gate Estates know they are safe and what they are asking for is reasonable for what they have and what they can expect in the future. He feels the Commission will do the fight thing. Commissioner Coletta left at 11:30 AM. Mr. Comrecode continued. Some of his comments were: Page 7 February 18, 2003 30% contingency for projects in the short term is excessive considering the annual update they are doing. Result of the 30% contingency is an increase in the impact fee and concerned about. - Increase in the impact fee is more than $10.00 because of the offsetting decreases because of shifting costs. Deep injection wells - water reuse and affluent water management is important. Master Plan says ASR - 1-5 years will have ability to store affluent NASR wells. - Some need for deep injection wells - - Population numbers - In the BEBR population numbers he feels the County is over projecting on growth and demand. - Reliability as they move to ASR. - Fringe build out was accelerated in the plan based on last years cycle and they feel it is early because the Fringe elements are being challenged. - Populations to serve new service areas which District doesn't include or licensed for- use highest possible population which over predicts the demand for the areas and creates overproduction of capacity. - Unrealistic and not recommended for Golden Gate Estates. Commissioner Halas asked about the Rural Fringe area with the College and a possibility of a town in the area, but found it is outside the service area. Commissioner Coyle talked about the Contingency Reserve and only a 3% contingency for fiscal 2003. He doesn't feel this is an issue any longer. Mr. DeLony answered that the contingency amount is needed across the industry and is an appropriate tool to use for their Master planning. They can justify the 30% contingency. A lengthy discussion was held on injection wells and storage capacity in the reservoirs. Mr. Mudd addressed the deep injection wells at the South plant and corrective actions taken for proper use. Injection wells are mandated by permit to have somewhere to go for disposal for non-compliant reclaimed water standard water. Non-compliant is not for re-use. They are not over designing the deep injection wells. Mr. Tears talked about the injection wells at the different plants. Commissioner Henning is wondering if they are over designing because of Government telling them what to do. Mr. DeLony stated they have to 1) stay in compliance 2) Provide customer service having flexibility 3) get ASR on line 4) Build the right team. A plant up-set does not allow them to put water through the line for reuse standards and is not raw sewage. Equalization tanks are a calming or smoothing effect for the plants to be on an even keel. When large amounts of rain fall over a 24 hour period of time they have to use chlorine as fast as they can when there are 30M gallons in a 9.2M gallon plant. Page 8 February 18, 2003 The District is mandated to be able to handle the affluent flows - use deep injection wells and percolation ponds. The injection well is a product that can't be used and has to be gotten rid of. The City of Naples dumps it into the Gordon River. Permits are not issued like that any longer. The city is starting to talk about injection wells. An ASR is a place where they can store stuff they want to use again that meets all the compliance standards of the State of Florida. Could be potable water, drinking water ASR, or reclaimed water. Those are products that can be used again. If there is no storage mechanism in place, for either product, such as reclaimed water, all the water goes to the sewer plant. If it is raining, and no one wants to irrigate with the water, they are stuck with the product. The amount of flushes could be increased. The product can not be gotten to the customer to irrigate with, the ponds are full - what do they do with it then? If there is no ASR they have to deep inject it. CBIA is not against deep injection wells. They understand the County has to have a primary and secondary disposal method. He feels the problem is they have more than a primary and secondary disposal method and building additional deep injection wells. D. Break- 12:06 PM Reconvened 12:20 PM John Yonkosky - Utility Billing Customer Service Director - the Executive Summary they will discuss talks about adopting a resolution amending the water and sewer impact rate schedule. When the major impact fee Ordinance was changed two years ago they put together a method using a resolution to change only one set of impact fees at a time. This Executive Summary has a recommendation for the Board to adopt a resolution that will allow them to implement the impact fees that were discussed with staff. The second page talks about the impact fees - proposed revisions reflect $120 per ERC decrease for the water and $110 per ERC increase. The next page shows a consolidated schedule that identifies approx, how much in revenues the impact fees will bring. It also shows the actual current impact fees as they exist and proposed. Impact fees are based upon meter size. Agriculture is on their own wells. Golf Courses are done by meter size. Some have back up wells and extracting their water. They need a consumptive use permit. Impact fees are charged by meter, not the amount of water used. E. Robert Ori - did a presentation on the User Rates -Charged for Monthly Service - consumed for home or business etc. - Business Principal - The Water & Wastewater System is an Enterprise Fund - Bonds - 5 year projections - Covenants - Reserves - Financial Forecast Page 9 February 18, 2003 Population projections - historical growth Service Area Demands were given according to handout Mr. Mudd stated there is an inverted scale right now and charge people a unit cost higher for water or sewer the more they use. Average Single Family Residential Customer Average use is Approx. 8,000 gal. per mo. Median use is Approx. 5,000 gal. per mo. - Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Water System - Capital Funding Plan was discussed according to handout - Next 5 years - Bonds - for funding - Parity Bonds - Type of Bonds - Debt Compliance - Repayment Pledge - System Rate Revenues - Net Revenues and Covenants were covered - All requirements must be met - Expenses & Indexing was discussed on the Water & Sewer Systems - General Insurance increased 161% - Operating Costs increased Mr. Mudd brought to the Commissioners attention the increases in water - projecting 5.75% increase in rates for 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007. Add the percents to what they think they need for sewer- 6.50% for 2005, 2006 & 2007 - add them together & there is a 12.25% increase a year over the next 4 years. Rob will talk about inverting the scale more and CPI's at the lower level and pushing the percentage out to the higher use customers to get them to conserve water. They are increasing the usage of water by 300 gallons per household from 2001 to 2002. Commissioner Henning asked if the increase is due to capital improvements. He also asked how much a repayment of debt was. Rob answered he did not know at this time - but referred to the slide presentation - O&M went up $1.3M, and the Debt Service up $1.4M. General Obligation Bonds were discussed. Mr. Mndd told the Commissioners GO Bonding takes a referendum and basically using the Ad Valorem tax base for the guarantee for that bond. They have all the gas tax and about 1/3 of the sales tax pledged already in their five year plan for roads. Commissioner Henning said if they got an approval to use GO Bonds, in reality impact fees will pay for it. They are collecting the money to pay the debt and at the end of that debt repayment there are still impact fees coming in. Impact fees will be used to pay back as much of the debt as possible. Commissioner Halas wondered if it is a 61% increase from today to 2007. The answer was not quite right - the numbers will be average - on a dollar basis - will it be combined -yes. Page 10 February 18, 2003 Commissioner Fiala left at 12:50 PM. Rate Structure - reasons were given. - Existing rates and proposed rates for the Water & Sewer Customers was given on the slide presentation. (Proposed for 2004 & 2005) A graph of the Single Family Residential Water Bill amount vs. Water Usage was also shown on the slide presentation. - A graph was also shown for average usage of 8,000 gallons and how it compares with several other cities. If the City of Naples grows they will have to do more expensive means in order to treat their water and sewer - with injection wells vs. the Gordon River dumping, the rates will go up. - Rate adjustments will not take effect until October, 2003. - Other Rate Considerations & Observations - Consider a mandatory water restriction surcharge (Only effective if SFWMD imposes Water Restrictions) - Ended his presentation with recommendations Commissioner Coyle stated if you take a look at increasing the average bill by $3.66/mo - in total not big increase - but it is an increase and he is not minimizing it. He asked if the inverted rate schedule is sufficiently inverted for Collier County. Is the differential in rates for the high end user sufficient to encourage them to conserve water? Rob said they are asking if they are providing enough incentives. Mr. Mudd made sure the higher end user customers were increased sufficiently by correct percentages. Not enough historical information is available to know if people are using less water at the higher end. A discussion was held on who conserves as far as high end users, the revenues, rate structure proposals and the low end user. Commissioner Coyle summarized it by: 500-10,000 gals increase it .30. 10,000-20,000 gals increases it .30. 20,000-30,000 gals increases it .35 He is suggesting starting off with 5-5-20-30-40-50. Existing and Proposed Rate structures were discussed. If the high end user cuts down his usage, that's gained capacity. Commissioner Coyle returned at 1:20 PM. Review of User Rates Executive Summary - The billing Ordinance will not change but they are recommending to approve a change to one schedule that has the rates. Thc rates can change without the Ordinance coming before the Board of County Commissioners each time. Four major functions - Rates are minimized on the low end user, thc higher end user will pay the bigger part. Page 11 February 18, 2003 - Authorize approval of a CPI Increase over a two year period. Asking for a two year approval for the rates for a historical background. - Asking for a Surcharge This was presented to the Productivity Committee and they had no position at this time. Exhibit 1 in the Executive Summary package goes into more detail on the surcharge then the Executive Summary does. Commissioner Coyle compliments Mr. DeLony and his staff on the presentation made. It was very helpful. There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 1:25 PM. COLLIER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS/ WATER-WASTEWATER WORKSHOP ~hairman ~ommissioner Tomtlnenning These minutes approved by the Board on As presented ~ ._ or as corrected Page 12