[ Council Communication ] [ Resolution ]

Council Communication

Title:	A Resolution Adopting New Storm Water and Drainage Systems Development Charges Pursuant to Sections 4.20.040 and 4.20.050 of the Ashland Municipal Code
Dept:	Public Works Department
Date:	June 16, 2002
Submitted By:	Paula Brown
Reviewed By: ........................	Greg Scoles, City Administrator

Synopsis:	In September 2001, Staff presented Council with the Proposed Storm Water System Development Charges. The Storm Water and Drainage Master Plan was written in September 1999 and addresses the Council's desires for better water quality protection. The Plan, along with staff's list of necessary improvements, has generated the long term storm drain and water quality capital improvements program. Shaun Pigott and Associates was hired to assist with refining the methodology and developing new fees for assessing Storm Drain Systems Development Charges (SDCs). The SDC Committee was activated for review of the capital improvements program and to recommend changes to the Storm Drain SDC.
Recommendation:	It is recommended that the Council approve the attached resolution Adopting New Storm Water and Drainage Systems Development Charges Pursuant to Sections 4.20.040 and 4.20.050 of the Ashland Municipal Code.
Fiscal Impact:	The Storm Water and Drainage Master Plan, along with additional projects proposed by staff and other reports, identifies a Capital Improvements Project list for $8,202,200 worth of projects to be completed over the next 20 year period to ensure our storm water and water quality system is adequately improved. The revised project list also included water quality improvement projects. This revised capital Program requires increasing the Storm Drain SDCs. The SDC Committee recommended a change to the Storm Drain SDC from $0.1398 per square foot of impervious area ($419 per equivalent dwelling unit) to $0.169 per square foot of impervious area ($506 per equivalent dwelling unit).
Background:	Storm Water and Drainage Master Plan The purpose of the storm water and drainage master planning effort was defined to: "provide effective flood management, improve water quality, and aquatic / wildlife habitat, and enhance livability in the watershed." This plan was written on the premise that the City would choose to enhance water quality and be ready for the anticipated requirements of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits for Phase II cities that could impact Ashland. A capital improvements project list was developed and shows construction projects at nearly $6 million to be accomplished over the next 15-20 years. This project list was modified to add the bridges and work recommended under the Otak Flood Report, anticipated land purchases, and known maintenance / capital projects that were smaller in nature than those in the actual Storm Water and Drainage Master Plan. Staff has added five new projects to the list since Council's review in September 2001. The resulting project list is attached and was the basis for discussions of revisions to the SDC charges. The City's previous Drainage Master Plan was completed in 1985 (KCM, Inc.). That plan looked at traditional drainage and focused on improving and extending the existing drainage system of closed piping, open ditches and culverts. Our current storm drain and drainage master planning effort has been broadened to include water quality impacts and improvements combining a natural open drainage system with traditional closed piping systems and increasing the conveyance system for a 25 year storm versus the prior 15 year design storm to provide capacity to accommodate our traditional street flooding. This Plan completes a comprehensive evaluation of drainage and storm water conveyance issues and compliments earlier reports on specific drainage basins; Ashland Creek Flood Restoration Project (Otak, 1997) and the Roca Creek Watershed Assessment (1997). Proposed Changes to the Storm Drain Systems Development Charges The City hired Shaun Pigott and Associates to assist with refining the Storm Drain Systems Development Charges (SDCs). Shaun Pigott developed a comprehensive background on SDC legislation and fee calculations that was useful to several of the newer members and helped to give each of the SDC Committee Members a common basis for understanding and applying ORS 223.297 to Ashland's Storm Drain SDC. The committee struggled with the traditional concerns regarding SDCs being too high and impacting housing costs and affecting affordability. There were also questions regarding new homes paying their fair share for the costs of providing additional storm drain capacity verses unfairly allocating those project costs to existing rate payers. The committee also looked at different assessment possibilities based on storm water basins, drainage impacts as they relate to house elevations and runoff/erosion, and other factors. Comments from the SDC Committee were extremely helpful and encouraged staff, with the help from KCM (Master Plan consultant) and Shaun Pigott, to review and appropriately revise the allocation of each capital project's cost to existing vs. future system requirements. The committee then looked at the City's SDC rates for the different SDC fees collected (sewer, water, storm drain, parks and transportation) as they relate to other SDC charges within the Southern Oregon Region (a copy of that information will be provided at the study session). Ashland's SDCs are typically higher than other cities in our region. After several meetings and quality debate, the SDC Committee is comfortable in recommending a change to the Storm Drain SDC from $0.1398 per square foot of impervious area ($419 per equivalent dwelling unit) to $0.169 per square foot of impervious area ($506 per equivalent dwelling unit). This change will ensure that storm drain capital projects and water quality improvements can be undertaken with development paying its fair share of these costs.

End of Document - Back to Top

RESOLUTION NO. 2002-.

A RESOLUTION ADOPTING NEW STORM WATER AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT CHARGES PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 4.20.040 AND 4.20.050 OF THE ASHLAND MUNICIPAL CODE.

THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. The Storm Water and Drainage Master Plan, Tetra Tech/KCM, Inc. dated June 2002 identifies the specific storm water projects, their costs and estimated time of construction. These projects and their costs constitute the basis for the City's Storm Water and Drainage system development charge improvement fees.

SECTION 2. The information contained in the September 5, 2001 report to the City Council by Shaun Pigott Associates and further recommended by the Ad-hoc Systems Development Charge Committee, marked exhibit "A", is adopted by the Ashland City Council and replaces the current resolution establishing the methodology and charges for transportation systems development charges.

SECTION 3. Charges Established. The improvement element of the City's system development charge for the storm drainage program is hereby established at $.169 per square foot of impervious surface. The reimbursement element of the fee is not being imposed at this time due to the fact that the City storm drainage system is at capacity for existing flows and provides little if any capacity for new development.

SECTION 4. The Storm Water and Drainage Systems Development Charges shall be effective July 1, 2002. Charges shall be adjusted for inflation each subsequent year every July 1 consistent with the Engineering News Record (Seattle).

SECTION 5. The Storm Water and Drainage Systems Development Charge methodology and charges will be reviewed every three years from the date of adoption to ensure consistency between the Storm Water and Drainage Master Plan, the Capital Improvement Program and the Storm Water Systems Development Charges.

SECTION 4. Storm Water and Drainage Systems Development Charges collected will be distributed to storm water and water quality improvement projects as described in exhibit "A".

This resolution was read by title only in accordance with Ashland Municipal Code §2.04.090 duly PASSED and ADOPTED this _____ day of ________________, 2002.
Barbara Christensen, City Recorder

SIGNED and APPROVED this day of , 2002.
Alan DeBoer, Mayor

Reviewed as to form:
Paul Nolte, City Attorney

End of Document - Back to Top