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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="25-205" title_number="25" title_name="Rates and Charges" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Benefit Charges">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commission may not impose a front foot benefit charge on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>property owned by the State, a county, or a municipality;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>property in the sanitary district that is connected to or authorized by the Commission to be connected to a water or sewer system operated by:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a municipality; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a water or sewer company under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Environment;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>property owned by a regularly organized volunteer fire department that is used for public purposes; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, property classified as agricultural that is actually used for farming purposes, unless a connection is made to a water main or sewer running through or adjacent to the property.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission may impose a reasonable front foot benefit charge on property classified as agricultural, which may not exceed the charge for 300 feet of front footage.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commission may suspend the imposition and collection of a front foot benefit charge:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>with respect to a sewer line, for property otherwise subject to a front foot benefit charge that the Commission determines cannot obtain service from the sewer pipe on which the benefit charge would be based;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>for construction of a water main if the owner of the property that is otherwise subject to the benefit charge is not permitted to connect to the water main because of a finding:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>by the Commission that there is no sewer and the extension of an improved sewer system is not reasonably feasible; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>by a county health department that a septic system would not be approved for the disposal of the water for which the connection is requested; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>if the property that is otherwise subject to the front foot benefit charge for a water main or sewer has a preexisting residential dwelling that is served by a well or septic system, until the property owner requests service from the water main or sewer.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a property is exempt from front foot benefit charges or if the Commission has suspended front foot benefit charges for a property and the property is no longer eligible for the exemption or suspension, the Commission shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>classify the property in accordance with § 25–203 of this subtitle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>impose a front foot benefit charge at a rate and for a period of time equal to that of property that was originally classified or for which the Commission imposed benefit charges in the year of the suspension.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission shall use money from front foot benefit charges imposed on property under paragraph (1) of this subsection to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>amortize bonds issued to construct water mains and sewers for which benefit charges were imposed under this subtitle; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>construct other water mains and sewers for which benefit charges are imposed.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
