05/01/2006 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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The following is intended to provide an example of typical questions that arise during the consideration of the utility: "When will it (the fee) stop and be reduced? The Ordinance establishes the storm water management fees for a three to five year period. As the community develops, rates could decrease since developed properties contribute significantly more than undeveloped properties. "Why should I pay if I don't drain into a (drainage) system? I am being taxed by the City of Lino Lakes now for services I do not receive!" There are two principles fundamental to the storm water management program: 1. All real property within a drainage basin will benefit from installation of an adequate storm drainage system. 2. The cost of installing an adequate drainage system should be assessed against the developed property in a basin. These principles may not be easy for property owners to understand at first, but they are key to the storm water management concept. It is difficult for a property owner who lives on a hill to understand how the construction of a storm drain in a low -lying area benefits him. But storm drainage includes much more than just flood control. Keeping streets open to emergency vehicles, maintaining ponds and open channel so they do not become health and safety hazards, and promoting use of drainage facilities for recreation all contribute to enhancing the quality of life. It is important to recognize that development adds to existing drainage problems. The property owner on a hill has, by converting the natural ground cover into streets, concrete and rooftops increased the storm water runoff. This contributes to the drainage problem of neighbors in low -lying areas. To some extent then, the property owner should contribute to the cost of correcting that problem. "Don't create a separate government agency! Why is the present engineering department not capable of handling this need ?" A utility is defined as service charge based on a property's contribution of water to a drainage system. The utility is a financing method, not an agency; the Director of Public Works will be the administrator of the program. The utility will be the primary responsibility of the engineering department. "Is the utility really necessary? Hooray! - Now we get taxed because it rains - good idea - consider one for wind too! Or maybe sunshine!" Rainfall causes the need for an adequate drainage system. Development increases the volumes of runoff and associated pollutant loads. To address water quantity (flooding) and water quality issues, a utility or user charge is necessary to finance the cost of the programs. "Why do we pond storm water runoff today instead of just letting water runoff as fast as possible into ditches, storm sewers, rivers, and lakes like we did for years ?" Ponding of storm water runoff allows Lino Lakes to take a proactive rather than reactive approach to managing storm water runoff. As development increases, runoff increases as well. The use of ponding not only provides for the protection of property (flood control), but the reduction of peak flow rates also reduces the cost of installing storm sewer systems and ditch/culvert systems to carry the runoff from point A to point B. Feasibility Study A- LINOL0602.00 City of Lino Lakes, Minnesota B -1