Item:
Title
Stormwater Utility Outreach Update (30min)
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: July 13, 2020
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to receive an update on the outreach efforts of staff and its consultant team to educate and elicit feedback on the County Stormwater Utility Fee adopted in the FY2021 Budget. Additionally, the Board is requested to adopt the Stormwater Utility Ordinance.
As directed during the June 2nd Budget Work Session, staff and its consultant team have worked diligently through multiple mediums to conduct educational opportunities and outreach events to educate citizens and elicit feedback on the adopted stormwater utility fee. Staff have updated the County website (www.dconc.gov/stormwaterutility <http://www.dconc.gov/stormwaterutility>) and recorded an on-demand presentation available online. A survey is also included on the website as a source of feedback.
Prior to this meeting the team has conducted virtual meetings with the following groups:
• Farmland Protection Board,
• Soil and Water Conservation District Board,
• Environmental Affairs Board, and
• Environment@RTP (including members or the RTP Owners and Tenants Association).
The team also conducted a Live Q&A Session via Zoom on the evening of July 1st. A recording of that session is available on the website as well. Other targeted outreach - for example, over 40 churches were contacted prior to the Q&A session - has been conducted to broaden the reach of our materials. Finally, a press release was developed in conjunction with the Public Information Office. Outreach will continue throughout the fall in order to prepare the public for the new fee on their tax bills and then to answer questions upon their receipt.
Upon adoption of the FY2021 Budget, the Board approved the rates for the Stormwater Utility Fee. As allowed by law, the public hearing on the adoption of the budget at the June 8th Regular Session concurrently serves as the public hearing associated with establishment of the stormwater utility fee. Additionally, the 24-hour period required for virtual meetings between public hearing and adoption has long passed. The Board must now codify the stormwater utility fee by adoption of the Stormwater Utility Fee Ordinance. Adoption of this ordinance will codify the structure of the stormwater utility and includes the following: Purpose, Definitions, Jurisdiction, Rate Structure, Schedule of Fees and Charges, and Billing and Collection. This ordinance has been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney’s Office.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This agenda item supports Strategic Plan Goal 4: Environmental Stewardship and Community Prosperity. More specifically it supports the objective of improving water quality
Resource Persons: Ryan D. Eaves, PE, Stormwater and Erosion Control Division Manager; McKenzie Gentry, PE, Stormwater Manager; Tom Murray, PE, WK Dickson; Keith Readling, PE, Raftelis; Inga Kennedy, PEQ; Peri Manns, ASLA, Deputy Director - EES; Jay Gibson, PE, General Manager
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board receive the update on the stormwater utility outreach efforts and enact the accompanying Stormwater Utility Ordinance.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________