Ord 2024-4024_Adopting Drought Contingency Plan

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K. ENFORCEMENT No person shall knowingly or intentionally allow the use of water from the City for residential, commercial, industrial or any other purpose in a manner contrary to any provision of the plan, or in an amount in excess of that permitted by the drought response stage in effect. First time offenders of the ordinance shall be issued a written warning. Any City employee designated by the City Manager may issue a written warning to a person he/she reasonably believes to be in violation of the drought restrictions in effect. The written warning shall be prepared in duplicate and include the date, name and address of the alleged violator and the nature of the violation. Any person who violates this plan after they have received one written warning shall be notified that the water service will be terminated. Services discontinued under such circumstances shall be restored only upon payment of the normal reconnection fees currently in effect at the time of the violation. The City of La Porte may establish fines for enforcement of the Drought Contingency Plan as needed. L. VARIANCES 1. The City Manager, or his/her designee, may, in writing, grant temporary variance for existing water uses otherwise prohibited underthis Plan if it is determined that failure to grant such variance would cause an emergency condition adversely affecting the health, sanitation, orfire protection for the public or the person requesting such variance and if one or more of the following conditions are met: (a) Compliance with this Plan cannot be technically accomplished during the duration of the water supply shortage or other condition for which the Plan is in effect. (b) Alternative methods can be implemented which will achieve the same level of reduction in water use. 2. Persons requesting an exemption from the provisions of this Ordinance shall file a petition for variance with the city within 5 days after the Plan or a particular drought response stage has been invoked. All petitions for variances shall be reviewed by the Director of Public Works, or his/her designee, and shall include the following: (a) Name and address of the petitioner(s). (b) Purpose of water use. (c) Specific provision(s) of the Plan from which the petitioner is requesting relief. (d) Detailed statement as to how the specific provision of the Plan adversely affects the petitioner or what damage or harm will occur to the petitioner or others if petitioner complies with this Ordinance.