BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
In the matter of the amendment of ARM 17.36.802 and 17.36.805 pertaining to fee schedules and changes in subdivision |
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT
(SUBDIVISIONS) |
TO: All Concerned Persons
1. On November 4, 2009, at 1:30 p.m., a public hearing will be held in Room 35 of the Metcalf Building, 1520 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, Montana, to consider the proposed amendment of the above-stated rules.
2. The department will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this public hearing or need an alternative accessible format of this notice. If you require an accommodation, please contact Elois Johnson, Paralegal, no later than 5:00 p.m., October 26, 2009, to advise us of the nature of the accommodation that you need. Please contact Elois Johnson at Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901; phone (406) 444-2630; fax (406) 444-4386; or e-mail [email protected].
3. The rules proposed to be amended provide as follows, stricken matter interlined, new matter underlined:
17.36.802 FEE SCHEDULES (1) An applicant for approval of a division of land into one or more parcels, condominiums, mobile home/trailer courts, recreational camping vehicle spaces, and tourist campgrounds shall pay the following fees:
|
UNIT |
UNIT COST |
TYPE OF LOTS |
|
|
Subdivision lot |
lot/parcel |
$ 75 100 |
Condominium/trailer court/recreational camping vehicle campground |
unit/space |
$ 30 40 |
Resubmittal fee – previously approved lot, boundaries are not changed |
lot/parcel |
$ 50 60 |
TYPE OF WATER SYSTEM |
|
|
Individual or shared water supply system (existing and proposed) |
unit |
$ 50 60 |
Multiple user system
- new system
- connection to approved
existing distribution
system
- extension to existing
distribution system
- new distribution system |
each
lot/unit
lot/unit
lot/unit |
$250 (plus $50 75/hour for review in excess of five four hours)
$ 15 20
$ 30 50
$ 30 50 |
Public water system
New system per DEQ-1
- connection to existing system
- extension of existing system
- new distribution system |
component
lot/structure
lot/structure
lot/structure |
per ARM 17.38.106 fee schedule
$ 15 20
$ 30 40
$ 30 40 |
TYPE OF WASTEWATER DISPOSAL |
|
|
Existing systems |
unit |
$ 50 60 |
New subsurface system |
drainfield |
$ 60 75 |
New pressure-dosed, elevated sand mound, ET systems, intermittent sand filter, ETA systems, recirculating sand filter, recirculating trickling filter, aerobic treatment unit, and nutrient removal, and whole house subsurface drip irrigation systems |
design
|
$150 (plus $50 75/hour for review in excess of three two hours)
|
Drainfields for pressured-dosed, intermittent sand filter, recirculating sand filter, recirculating trickling filter, aerobic treatment unit, and nutrient removal |
drainfield |
$ 30 40 |
Gray water reuse systems. This is a stand-alone fee and all gray water reuse systems will be reviewed at the unit cost |
unit |
$ 75 (plus $75/hour in excess of two hours |
Multiple user wastewater system
- connection
- extension
- new collection system |
lot/unit
lot/unit
lot/unit |
$ 15 20
$ 30 50
$ 30 50 |
New public wastewater system per DEQ-2
- New connection to existing
system
- New extension to existing
public wastewater system
- New public wastewater
collection system |
component
lot/structure
lot/structure |
per ARM 17.38.106 fee schedule
$ 30 50
|
OTHER |
|
|
Deviation from circular
|
request or per design |
$100 150
(plus $50 75/hour for review in excess of two hours) |
Waiver from rule |
request |
$100 150 (plus $50 75/hour for review in excess of two hours) |
Reissuance of original approval statement |
request |
$ 50 |
Municipal facilities exemption checklist (former master plan exemption) |
application |
$ 75 100 |
Nonsignificance determinations/categorical exemption reviews
- individual/shared systems
- multiple-user and public systems |
drainfield
lot/structure |
$ 40 50
$ 20 25 |
- plans exempt from Circular DEQ-8
- Circular DEQ-8 review
|
|
|
Preparation of environmental
assessments/environmental
impact statements |
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actual cost |
AUTH: 76-4-105, MCA
IMP: 76-4-105, 76-4-128, MCA
17.36.805 CHANGES IN SUBDIVISION (1) remains the same.
(2) Other changes for plan components not listed in ARM 17.36.802 are also subject to additional review fees. The department shall determine the exact amount of the additional fee based on how much review time the change(s) require. Review time must be charged at the rate of $50 75 per hour with a minimum charge of $50 75.
AUTH: 76-4-105, MCA
IMP: 76-4-105, MCA
REASON: ARM 17.36.802 and 17.36.805 establish fees for department review of subdivisions under the Sanitation in Subdivisions Act, Title 76, Chapter 4, MCA. The department's subdivision review program is funded entirely by application fees. The fees have not been increased since 2002. Since that time personnel and operating expenses have gone up substantially. The number of applications has dropped significantly in past years, from 1,619 in FY06, 1,443 in FY07, 1,230 in FY08 to 931 in FY09. To save expenses, in August of 2009 the department reduced by 3.0 FTE the number of subdivision staff that are paid by fees, but fee revenues are still insufficient to maintain essential staff levels. The department has drawn down the reserve in the subdivision account, and it is necessary to raise fees to maintain minimum program functions. The proposed amendments would raise subdivision review fees by about 30 to 40%, depending on the review item. The department estimates that the fee increase will affect approximately 900 applicants in the next year, for a total cumulative impact of the increase next year of approximately $300,000.
4. Concerned persons may submit their data, views, or arguments, either orally or in writing, at the hearing. Written data, views, or arguments may also be submitted to Elois Johnson, Paralegal, Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 E. Sixth Avenue, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901; faxed to (406) 444-4386; or e-mailed to [email protected], no later than November 12, 2009. To be guaranteed consideration, mailed comments must be postmarked on or before that date.
5. James Madden, attorney, has been designated to preside over and conduct the hearing.
6. The department maintains a list of interested persons who wish to receive notices of rulemaking actions proposed by this agency. Persons who wish to have their name added to the list shall make a written request that includes the name and mailing address of the person to receive notices and specifies that the person wishes to receive notices regarding: air quality; hazardous waste/waste oil; asbestos control; water/wastewater treatment plant operator certification; solid waste; junk vehicles; infectious waste; public water supplies; public sewage systems regulation; hard rock (metal) mine reclamation; major facility siting; opencut mine reclamation; strip mine reclamation; subdivisions; renewable energy grants/loans; wastewater treatment or safe drinking water revolving grants and loans; water quality; CECRA; underground/above ground storage tanks; MEPA; or general procedural rules other than MEPA. Such written request may be mailed or delivered to Elois Johnson, Paralegal, Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 E. Sixth Ave., P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901; faxed to (406) 444-4386; e-mailed to [email protected]; or may be made by completing a request form at any rules hearing held by the department.
7. The bill sponsor contact requirements of 2-4-302, MCA, do not apply.
Reviewed by: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
/s/ James M. Madden BY: /s/ Richard H. Opper
JAMES M. MADDEN RICHARD H. OPPER, Director
Rule Reviewer
Certified to the Secretary of State, October 5, 2009.