Council amends summary of fees: construction/landscape deposit timelines, sewer rate set at $50

Mantua Town Council approved an amended summary of fees that clarifies refund timelines for construction and landscaping deposits, sets the municipal sewer rate at $50 and removes a previously required recycling fee for accounts opened before Aug. 1, 2019.

During discussion, councilors and staff reviewed how refunds for deposits are triggered. The adopted language for the construction deposit reads: "Refundable to property owner at time of compliance and after 1 year and within 2 years of receiving certificate of occupancy." For landscaping deposits the adopted phrase reads: "Refundable to property owner at time of compliance and within 2 years of receiving certificate of occupancy." Councilors debated whether to use the certificate of occupancy or letter of occupancy as the triggering date and whether longer grace periods used during past drought relief periods should remain on the books; staff advised the certificate of occupancy is an administrable, verifiable date.

Councilors also discussed concerns about builders finishing homes and not completing landscaping for extended periods; the new language ties the refund period to the certificate of occupancy and limits refund claims to defined intervals so deposits do not remain indefinitely on town books. Additional technical clarifications noted in the discussion: building permits commonly run one year but may be extended to 18 months in some cases, and councilors discussed prior practice of allowing a longer refund window during severe drought.

Separately, a motion before the council set the town's sewer rate to $50 and removed a requirement related to recycling fees for accounts established before Aug. 1, 2019. The motion approving the amended summary of fees listed the specific changes: adjust the sewer rate to $50; remove the recycling requirement for accounts prior to 08/01/2019; and revise construction and landscaping deposit wording to reference the certificate of occupancy and defined refund windows. The motion was seconded and approved by the council; the transcript records general assent but did not include a roll‑call tally in the public audio transcript.

Staff noted the summary of fees must align with Brigham City's referenced industrial pretreatment standards where the town's sewer interlocal agreement cross‑references that code; councilors directed staff to ensure consistent references where applicable.