Columbia Definitions ordinance (§ 27-36)

For the purposes of this article, whenever any of the following words or terms are used herein, they shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

Community food garden. A collectively gardened area located on a lot or lots owned or leased by a property owner's association, homeowner's association, tenant's association, non-profit organization, public agency, or other functionally equivalent entity, which is primarily intended for the purpose of cultivation of fruits and vegetables by individuals, either in individual garden plots or communally, and for noncommercial purposes. Under no circumstances may food grown and cultivated in a community food garden be sold or exchanged for consideration. The designation of an account as a community food garden is subject to the approval of the director upon application by the customer. All community food garden areas shall be separately metered and any water used by the customer shall be solely for the purpose of the cultivation of fruits and vegetables within the designated community food garden area. The director may remove the designation of community food garden from any customer account that does not meet this definition.

Customer. The corporation, association, or individual legally using water or electricity supplied by the department.

Customer-generator. A consumer of electric energy who purchases electric energy from the city and is the owner of a qualified net metering unit.

Department. The Water and Light Department of the City of Columbia, Missouri.

Director. The director of the water and light department of the city, or his authorized representative.

Easement. The land legally designated for the installation and maintenance of water, electric or other utility lines necessary to properly serve the public with utility services.

Lot. A parcel or portion of land in a subdivision, or parcel of land separated from other parcels or portions by description as on a subdivision plat of record, survey map, or by metes and bounds description.

Meter. A device installed at each customer's premises for the purpose of measuring the quantity of water or electricity used.

Net energy metering. The measurement of the amount of electric energy supplied to a customer-generator by the department and the measurement of the electric energy generated by a customer-generator that is delivered to the local distribution system at the same point of interconnection.

Plan. A map of a subdivision showing the location, arrangement and size of lots, streets, easements, and other rights-of-way.

Property. A lot, tract, or other parcel of land.

Property owner. An individual, corporation or association holding legal title or otherwise having legal control of a property.

Qualified net metering unit. An electric generation unit which:

(a) Is owned by a customer-generator.

(b) Is a hydrogen fuel cell or is powered by sun, wind or biomass.

(c) Has an electrical generating system with a capacity of not more than one hundred (100) kilowatts (kW).

(d) Is located on premises that are owned, operated, leased or otherwise controlled by the customergenerator.

(e) Is interconnected and operates in parallel and in synchronization with the electric system.

(f) Is intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer-generator's own electrical energy requirements.

Renewable energy credit, certificate or attribute (REC). A tradable certificate, credit, or attribute that is either certified by an entity approved as an acceptable authority by the Public Service Commission, or as validated through the Public Service Commission's approved REC tracking system, or a generator's attestation. An REC must be validated through an attestation signed by an authorized individual of the company owning the renewable resource and shall contain the name and address of the generator, the type of renewable energy resource technology, and the time and date of the generation. An REC represents that one (1) megawatt-hour of electricity has been generated from renewable energy sources. An REC includes, but is not limited to, solar renewable energy credits. An REC expires three (3) years from the date the electricity associated with that REC was generated.

Resale service. Electrical service used by the customer for resale to another at a profit or at a cost related to the amount of usage.

Residential dwelling unit. A building or portion thereof with kitchen facilities, designated or used for residential occupancy, including but not limited to, such units when constituting or a part of one-family, two-family, and multiple-family dwellings, boarding and lodging houses, apartment houses and apartment hotels, but not hotels or motels, except where the units are occupied by the same individual or group of individuals for thirty (30) days or more.

Right-of-way. A street or roadway dedicated to the city or to the State of Missouri.

Service area. All of the city limits and any other areas where the department furnishes water and/or electric service.

Standby service. Electrical service which is not used as the primary source of energy for a specific function or purpose but which is used only as a reserve or as a backup to the primary source of energy for the specific function or purpose.

Subdivision. A parcel of land divided into two (2) or more lots or other divisions of land.

Submeter. A meter that is used in series with another meter for the purpose of measuring a quantity of water or electricity a second time.

Supplementary service. Electrical service which is not used as the primary source of energy for a specific function or purpose but which is used as a supplement to the primary source of energy, either routinely or on an emergency basis, for the specific function or purpose.

Value of electric energy. The average cost per kWh of the energy component of applicable kWh rates. This value will be based on purchased energy, including charge for energy, transmission, losses, and any fuel adjustments per kWh and will include fuel costs for energy generated at department facilities. Value of electric energy does not include capacity charges, distribution expenses, or other overhead expenses which may be part of applicable kWh rates.

Water and electric light works. All the physical property of the city including wells, pumping plants, pipe lines, generating plants, substations, transmission lines, distribution lines, buildings, and all other equipment, apparatus and property used for the sole purpose of obtaining, producing, generating, distributing and delivering water and electricity.