§ 2-310. Definitions.

As used in this division, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly otherwise requires:

Annual assessment resolution means the resolution described in Article II hereof, establishing the rate at which an assessment for a specific fiscal year will be computed; and the adoption of which shall be the final proceeding for the imposition of assessments for fire protection services and facilities.

Assessed property means all tax parcels of land included in the Fire Service Assessment Roll that receive a special benefit from the continual availability of fire protection services and facilities.

Assessment or fire service assessment means a special assessment imposed by the City Council pursuant to this division to fund the fire service assessed cost. The term "Assessment" and the reference to special assessments or non-ad valorem assessments herein means those assessments which can become a lien against a homestead as permitted by Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution, as amended.

Assessment coordinator means the Mayor, or such person's designee, responsible for coordinating the calculation and collection of assessments as provided herein.

Assessment ordinance or ordinance means this division.

Assessment roll or fire service assessment roll means the special assessment roll relating to an assessment approved by the City Council.

City means the City of St. Petersburg, Florida.

City Clerk means the Clerk to the City Council, or such person's designee.

City Council means the governing body of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Fire service assessed cost means that portion of the annual budget for any fiscal year representing all or some portion of the cost of maintaining continual readiness to provide fire protection to tax parcels within the City which will be funded through the imposition of fire service assessments.

Fiscal year means that period commencing October 1st of each year and continuing through the next succeeding September 30th, or such other period as may be prescribed by law as the fiscal year for the City.

Government property means property owned by the United States of America or any agency thereof, a sovereign state or nation, the State of Florida or any agency thereof, a county, a special district or a municipal corporation.

Mayor means the mayor of the City or such person's designee.

Obligations means bonds or other evidence of indebtedness including but not limited to, notes, commercial paper, capital leases or any other obligation issued or incurred to finance fire protection facilities and equipment and secured, in whole or in part, by proceeds of the assessments.

Pledged revenue means, as to any series of obligations, (a) the proceeds of such obligations, including investment earnings, (b) proceeds of the assessments pledged to secure the payment of such obligations, and (c) any other legally available non-ad valorem revenue pledged, at the City Council's sole option, to secure the payment of such obligations, as specified by any resolution authorizing such obligations.

Property Appraiser means the Property Appraiser of Pinellas County, Florida.

Tax Collector means the Tax Collector of Pinellas County, Florida.

Tax parcel means a parcel of property to which the Property Appraiser has assigned a distinct ad valorem property tax identification number.

Tax roll means the real property ad valorem tax assessment roll and data base maintained by the Property Appraiser for the purpose of the levy and collection of ad valorem taxes.

Uniform Assessment Collection Act means F.S. §§ 197.3632 and 197.3635, or any successor statutes authorizing the collection of non-ad valorem assessments on the same bill as ad valorem taxes, and any applicable regulations promulgated thereunder.

(Ord. No. 34-H, § 1.01, 7-12-2012)