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Privacy Policy

Billing and account information will not be provided to the media, or to a business, agency, or other individual not included on the account, without the permission of the account holder. Current billing information may be released (excluding account history information) when it is deemed in the best interest of both the Town and the individual account holder in order to aid the account holder in paying the current bill. Information may also be shared, at the discretion of the Town, with another power company or municipality routinely requesting account history information.

Click the areas below for fee schedules.

Highlands Fee Schedule

Fees Schedule Main

 Topic  Setup Fees & Penalties Effective Date   Applicable Code
Deposit for Non-Owners  If a deposit is deemed necessary:
$150 residential
$300 commercial
10/18/11   15-97
Delinquent Accounts  Both Commercial and Residential accounts shall be due within 21 days from date thereof and will be disconnected if bill is not paid within thirty days of billing date. Interest in the amount of 1.5% will be charged on accounts not paid within thirty days of billing. 10/18/11 15-4(a)
15-96 
Reconnection

Disconnected 1yr +: 1/2 the water connect fee plus $150 Electric

Disconnected Less Then 1yr: all minimum charges accrued while disconnected plus $150

After business hours, the fee increases from $75 to $150 for water and $200 for electric.

Includes CT meters

7/1/23 15-4(b) 
 Minimum Charges  Monthly minimum charges are in effect for electricity, water, sewer, and garbage service regardless of usage. 10/18/11  

Utilities - Electric


Effective June 1, 1995

Temporary Electric Service

$100.00
Effective July 1, 2014

Electric Rates

Residential: Basic Charge: $20.31

.1146 cents/kWh

Commercial: Basic Charge (Single Phase) $22.67

Commercial: Basic Charge (Three Phase) $32.69

First 3000 kWh: .1144

Next 6000 kWh: .0808
All over 9000 kWh: .0803

Demand: $7.64/kWh per month

Effective July 1, 2011

Yard Lights

$9.25 per month (plus initial cost of light and installation)
Effective June 1, 1997

Special Readings

$20.00
Effective September 20, 2012

Service Calls Effective July 1, 2023

$75.00 during regular business hours and $150.00 after regular business hours for water and $200.00 after regular business hours for electric


Solar PV Interconnection Rate Schedule

Utilities - Water


Effective July 1, 2006

Water Connection Fees

Size of Meter

3/4": $1000 inside Town, $1500 outside Town
1": $1200
Between 1" and 2": $1400
2" and larger: $1600 plus cost of meter and installation

 

Effective July 1, 2019


Water Rates

Minimum Charges Residential

Size of Meter

3/4": $36 inside Town, $72 outside Town
1": $46 inside Town, $92 outside Town
2": $76 inside Town, $152 outside Town
3": $96 inside Town, $192 outside Town

Minimum Charges Commercial

Size of Meter

3/4": $46
1": $56
1 1/2": $86
2": $101
3": $116


Usage Rates

3/4" Meter
First 5,000 gallons: Minimum Charge
Next 1,000,000 gallons: $7.50 per 1000 gallons

1" Meter
First 9,000 gallons: Minimum Charge
Next 1,000,000 gallons: $7.50 per 1000 gallons

2" Meter
First 10,500 gallons: Minimum Charge
Next 1,000,000 gallons: $7.50 per 1000 gallons

3" Meter
First 12,500 gallons: Minimum Charge
Next 1,000,000 gallons: $7.50 per 1000 gallons

It is the policy of the Town of Highlands, in the event of a water leak on the customer's side of the meter, to adjust the water portion of the bill 50%, less the minimum charge. Such adjustment will be made only one time in any given 12 month period.

Effective September 20, 2012


Service Calls

$75.00 during regular business hours and $150.00 after regular business hours

Utilities - Sewer

Effective July 1, 2012

Sewer Connection Fees

Single dwelling unit

$2500

Multiple dwelling unit

$2500 per dwelling unit

Single business

$3500

Multiple business

$3500 per business occupant

Hotels, motels, tourist
   homes

$3000 initial fee, plus $500 additional for each room*

Restaurants

$5000 initial fee, plus $100 additional for each seat*

Assisted Living Units

One-half the single dwelling unit connection fee

* For changes in use to a use requiring a greater connection fee, the initial fee is waived but the additional amount must be paid.

Effective July 1, 2012

Sewer Connection Fees
Outside Corporate Limits

Sewer Connection Fees for property outside the Corporate Limits of the Town shall be 200% of the corresponding connection fee inside the Corporate Limits.

Effective July 1, 2019

Sewer Rates

100% of water rate

Effective July 1, 2015

Fee for Disposal of Waste
  from Pumping Truck

$125.00 per load

Utilities - Solid Waste


Effective July 1, 2016

Residential Garbage Rates

Residential: $20.00 per month 

Residents qualifying for ad valorem property tax senior citizens exclusion shall not be charged for garbage collection.

Effective December 8, 2016

Commercial Garbage Rates

 

  Pickups $20.00 *Max used as Charge Charge w/no rental(s)
Small 1 to 2 pickups   $   57.25
$17.25 3 to 5 pickups  $   117.25
  6 to 7 pickups  $   157.25
Medium 1 to 2 pickups   $   74.50
$34.50 3 to 5 pickups  $   134.50
  6 to 7 pickups  $   174.50
Large 1 to 2 pickups   $   109.00
$69.00 3 to 5 pickups  $   169.00
  6 to 7 pickups  $   209.00

Definitions

Small ~ 1 to 2 cans or 1 to 2 toters or shared 6yd dumpster with professional or retail business and less than 3 pickups per week for dumpster.  
 
Medium ~ 3 or more cans or 3 or more toters with 3 or more pickups per week.  A dumpster not shared with other businesses typically involves 
 
Large ~ 1 or more dumpsters not shared.  3 or more toters with pick up 5 or more times per week or greater than 6 pickups per week on any 
 

Effective July 1, 2012

Dumpster Fees

$46.00 per month for single business use

For more than one business using a dumpster, the charge is $46.00 per month divided by the number of users. Dumpster fees are in addition to the current commercial garbage rates.

Effective December 8, 2016


96-Gallon Commercial Toter Receptacles

$6.35 per month per receptacle

Land Use

Effective July 1, 2012

Zoning Certificates

Minimum of $25.00 for up to $25,000 of the cost of improvements, then $2.00 per $1000 of the cost of improvements above the minimum.

Interior Modification Only: $25.00
Simple Review of Plat for Transfer of Title Only: $25.00 after the minimum.


Temporary Signs

Banner for civic event or special holiday: $25

(Effective December 15, 1993)

Sign for initial opening or special sales: $50 for a maximum of 10 days

Effective July 1, 2012


Permanent Signs

Wall signs: $1.00 per square foot of sign face - $25.00 minimum for each separate sign

Hanging signs: $1.00 per square foot of sign face - $25.00 minimum for each separate sign

Freestanding signs: $1.00 per square foot of sign face - $50.00 minimum

Temporary Development signs: $100.00

Effective July 1, 2012

Effective April 17, 1996


Real Estate Signs in Setback Area

$15.00 per sign

Effective June 20, 2013


Zoning Violations

$100.00 per day, per violation, until the violation(s) are remedied, per Section 15.2.2, Continuing Offenses, Unified Development Ordinance. $500 per tree removal without prior Town approval per Section 11.2.2, Tree Protection, as referenced in Section 15.4 Civil Penalties, 15.4.1 Citations, Unified Development Ordinance.


Application for Special Use Permit, Variance, or Appeal

$250


Application for Re-Zoning July 1, 2012

Conventional Rezoning: $500.00

Conditional District Rezoning: $1500.00

 

Application for Subdivision July 1, 2012

$500

 

Review of Erosion Control Permit

Minimum Fee of $300.00 plus any cost over $250.00 incurred as a result of review by the Town's Consulting Engineers

 

Business Licenses

General

Business licenses are valid from May 1 through April 30. New business licenses issued after May 1 will be prorated for the remaining portion of the valid license year.

Effective July 1, 2012


Business Licenses Limited by General Statutes

Town policy is to charge the maximum permitted by the General Statutes, as shown below, except where indicated.

  • Beer On Premise: $15
  • Beer Off Premise: $5
  • Wine On Premise: $15
  • Wine Off Premise: $10

 

Effective July 1, 2012


Regulation of Taxis Effective July 1, 2015

Per NCGG ยง160A-304 Taxis, Limousines, etc. $15.00


Pawn Shops

$275 annually


Penalties

The penalty for unpaid business licenses is 5% of the amount of the tax for each 30 day period that the tax is unpaid, with a minimum of 25%, or $5, whichever is greater.

Effective July 1, 2012


Electronic Gaming

$3,000 per establishment
$500 per machine in establishment

Miscellaneous Fees

Fee to Answer Fire Call Outside 5 mile Radius

$250

Effective November 6, 1991


Charges on Returned Checks

The Town of Highlands has a policy of charging the payor a $20.00 fee if a returned check is redeposited and comes back bad a second time.

Effective January 1, 2013


Burglar Alarms

The alarm user shall be assessed the following fees based on the number of false alarm days in one year (January 1st-December 31st).

The civil penalties are as follows:

False Alarm Fees:

  • 1 false alarm: Free - Courtesy
  • 2 or more false alarms: $100.00 each
False alarm means activation of an alarm by any means that elicits a response by police when no situation requiring such a response does, in fact, exist. This includes accidental, avoidable, and unnecessary alarm activation due to user error, equipment malfunction, improper or unsuited equipment, but does not include alarm activation caused by violent conditions of nature (including but not limited to lightning storms) or other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to control by the alarm user or alarm business.  Other issues will be looked at on an individual case by case scenario.

Effective May 28, 2015


Fire Alarms

$250 per false alarm, except that one free false fire alarm is permitted per year.

Effective June 25, 1997


Pole Attachment Fees

$10.00 per attachment annually

Effective August 16, 2018


Pole Attachment Permit Fee

$50.00 per pole

Effective March 21, 2013


Cemetery Fees

Highlands Memorial Park Cemetery Lot (single grave site): $400

Contribution to Perpetual Care Fund: $300

Corner Marker Installation: $80

Effective March 6, 2002


Fees for Columbariums

For qualifying individuals: $1000

For non-qualifying individuals: $1400

Amended April 5, 2006


Fine for Parking Violations

$50

Amended June 15, 2023



Fine for Violation of Section 7-107 & 108, Passenger Loading Zones & Commercial Loading Zones

Each citation is $50.00 payable within 15 days of date of issuance.

Amended June 19, 2014


Permit Fee & Fine for Violation of Section 13-18 Use of streets and sidewalks during construction activites

Permit Fee: $100.00 plus the amount applicant is responsible for compensation associated with the use of off duty Highlands Police Officers in coordination with the Police Chief.

Fine for Violation: $100.00 per day, each day continuing violation shall constitute a separate offense.

Adopted June 7, 2000


Boat Permit for Boats on Lake Sequoyah

Annual Permit: $10

Daily Permit: $5

October 6, 2003


Impoundment Fee for Automobiles Towed to Town Warehouse

$5


GIS Maps

  • 8-1/2 X 11: $2
  • 11 X 17: $4
  • 13 X 19: $5
  • 24 X 36: $15
  • 36 X 48: $25

Administration

Copies: $0.25/page

Audio Information on CD: $5.00