§ 8-32. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Assessment means a fee, charge or assessment authorized by Section 403.0893(3), Florida Statutes, as amended, or by any other provision of law for funding of the costs of operations and maintenance, debt service, improvements and extension and replacement attributable to the area that the board may determine by resolution as provided herein.

Benefit area means any portion or portions of an area within or without an area of operation designated by resolution of the board of county commissioners as provided herein as a benefit area for the purpose of determining utility fees. For the utility fees authorized herein, the benefit area consists of the entire unincorporated area of Okaloosa County, Florida,

Benefited property means all parcels of real property that receive a benefit from the stormwater management system.

Comprehensive plan means the most recent version of the comprehensive plan adopted by the board pursuant to Chapter 163, Part II, Florida Statutes.

Director means the director of the public works department of Okaloosa County.

Fiscal year means the period commencing on October 1 of each year and continuing through the next succeeding September 30, or such other period as may be prescribed by law as the fiscal year for the county.

Mitigation credit means, for any parcel of benefited property, a number between 0.0 and 100 percent representing a reduction in the stormwater burden expected to be generated by such parcel attributable to privately maintained stormwater management facilities and other factors affecting the quantity or quality of stormwater runoff.

Mitigation facility means a manmade facility or structure on the site of a benefited property which, by its design and function, retains or detains stormwater on-site and generates less volume of stormwater from the site or produces stormwater runoff with less pollutants than would be the case in the absence of such facilities or structure.

Stormwater means any surface runoff and drainage of water from land surfaces.

Stormwater improvement means land, capital facilities and improvements acquired or provided to detain, retain, convey or treat stormwater within the county.

Stormwater management services means: (A) management and administration of the County's Stormwater Management System, including administration, planning, and permitting requirements; (B) Stormwater program engineering; (C) Drainage Basin planning; (D) Stormwater Improvements to be acquired or constructed; (E) operating and maintaining the Stormwater Management System, including extraordinary maintenance; (F) billing and collection of Stormwater Utility Fees, including customer information and educational services and reserves for statutory discounts; (G) financing of improvements and (H) legal, engineering and other consultant services.

Stormwater management system or system means the existing stormwater management of the county and all improvements thereto which are constituted the property and responsibility of the utility, to be operated as an enterprise fund to, among other things, conserve water, control discharges necessitated by rainfall events, incorporate methods to collect, convey, store, absorb, inhibit, treat, use or reuse water to prevent or reduce flooding, over-drainage, environmental degradation and water pollution or otherwise affect the quality and quantity of discharge from such system.

Stormwater service cost means the estimated amount for any fiscal year of all expenditures and reasonable reserves that are properly attributable to the stormwater management services provided within the benefit area under generally accepted accounting principles, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, reimbursement to the county for any moneys advanced for the stormwater management service, and interest on any interfund or intrafund loan for such purpose.

Stormwater utility means the enterprise fund established by the ordinance to operate, maintain and improve the county's stormwater management system.

Stormwater utility fee means a utility fee authorized by state law and the ordinance which is established to pay operations and maintenance, improvements, extension and replacement and debt service.

( Ord. No. 18-08 , § 2, 4-17-18)