Stormwater Utility Fees
Paths Removed from Stormwater Utility Bills and Pervious Pavement Rate Reduced
FISHERS, IN - In August of 2010, the Stormwater Utility Board approved an
exemption for walking paths from the utility. All paths that are eight (8) feet wide or less with at least five (5) feet of green space on each side will no longer be billed by the utility. Parcels affected by this change were notified by mail in October 2010. In addition, the board approved a rate reduction for the use of pervious pavements (those that allow infiltration) instead of traditional impervious pavements. Businesses that use pervious pavements instead of impervious pavements will receive a
rate reduction of 25%. Contact 567-5056 or
stormwater@fishers.in.us if you are a business that would like to install pervious pavement to help the environment and decrease your stormwater bill.
For additional information, please contact the Department of Engineering's stormwater hotline at 317-567-5056 or email stormwater@fishers.in.us
General Stormwater Utility Information
General Information
The Fishers Town Council voted to establish a Stormwater Utility on November 7
th, 2007, with Ordinance
110707A.
The corresponding utility rate was set at $4.95 per equivalent residential unit (ERU) on December 17
th, 2007, by Resolution
121707E. Resolutions
SW032409 (March 24
th, 2009) and
030209F (April 20
th, 2009) were also passed to establish a schedule of rates and user fees for the stormwater utility.
This utility will help fund the stormwater program which consists of the following six (6) minimum control measures as required by federal and state guidelines:
· Public Participation and Involvement
· Public Education and Outreach
· Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
· Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping
· Construction Site Runoff Control
· Post Construction Runoff Control
In addition, the utility will provide revenue for storm sewer maintenance, Town right-of-way drainage improvements, and stormwater quality projects. For a detailed list of stormwater utility services that are provided to residents by the Town, please click here.
All residential parcels pay $4.95 per month ($59.40 per year) based on a statistically determined average of 3,318 square feet of impervious surface or one equivalent residential unit (ERU). Examples of impervious surfaces would include, asphalt, concrete, compacted gravel driveways, rooftops, patios, etc. Condominium parcels pay a factor of 0.60 times the residential rate which equates to $2.97 per month ($35.64 per year). Residential bills should arrive in resident's mailboxes near the end of February or the beginning of March each year. Payments are due at the end March.
All non-residential properties and businesses pay a multiple of the $4.95 per month based on the number of ERUs of impervious surface area that the property contains. This number is determined by dividing the parcel total impervious surface area by 3,318 square feet and then multiplying by $4.95. Thus, a non-residential property with an impervious area of 3,318 square feet would pay only 1 ERU, or $4.95 per month (or $14.85 per quarter). However, a non-residential property with an impervious surface area of 6,636 square feet would pay for 2 ERUs, or $9.90 per month (or $19.80 per quarter). Non-residential properties with impervious areas of less than 1,106 square feet, will pay a minimum bill amount of $1.65 per month (or $4.95 per quarter) which is the same as the unimproved rate as described within the next paragraph.
Non-residential bills can be expected near the end of February or beginning of March for the 1st quarter followed by bills in May, August, and November for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters, respectively.
All unimproved properties (those properties that essentially contain no impervious surfaces) pay one third of the standard rate, or $1.65 per month ($19.80 per year). Unimproved properties are still required to pay a stormwater utility fee because they contribute some level of pollution to the local water bodies and are also required to contribute to local efforts for public education and outreach work, illicit discharge detection and elimination, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping. Unimproved bills are sent once per year in late February for payment in March.
Billing Information
Residential, condominium, and unimproved parcel bills are billed annually in late February for payment in March. Non-residential bills are billed quarterly (four times per year) in late February, May, August, and November. The Stormwater Utility Board approved these changes in order to save costs associated with billing more frequently.
On several bills, the lot service address may show up as zero if no address was available from the county. For example, many homeowners association common area parcels have no address associated with them and will show up as a zero address. This may happen often, as the Stormwater Utility Billing Database is based on parcel ownership from the Hamilton County Auditor's Office and corresponding ownership address information and not on site address location. However, each bill should show the corresponding parcel number (tax lot number) associated with the bill. This parcel number can be typed into the Geographic Information System's (GIS) General Purpose Map at the following link: Click Here for GIS Map Link in order to see what property is associated with your bill. However, common area parcels will often not show up from this link. If you have a question about a common area parcel, please call the number indicated below.
Residents and property owners interested in learning more about the utility can view the posted Frequently Asked Questions document concerning the stormwater utility, contact the stormwater utility hotline at 567-5056, or email stormwater@fishers.in.us.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Stormwater Utility Fees
What is stormwater?
Stormwater is the runoff from natural precipitation, such as rain water, snow melt, or other surface drainage that is transported by conveyances (streets, sewers, gutters) to streams, rivers, and reservoirs.
Why do we need to manage stormwater and why am I paying a stormwater fee?
Rapid growth and urbanization, such as is occurring within the Town of Fishers causes significant changes in stormwater runoff. As additional land is developed and covered with impervious surfaces such as roads, sidewalks, and rooftops, the volume and rate of stormwater entering storm sewers, rivers, streams, and reservoirs is increasing. Such changes can cause increased flooding, bank erosion, and scouring if not properly managed and decreased groundwater infiltration. Although the Town's Stormwater Management Ordinance is in place to help manage these changes in stormwater runoff, the process of managing these aspects of stormwater does not come without significant costs to the Town.
Not only do impervious surfaces increase the quantity and volume of water entering storm sewers and waterways, but they also increase the amount of pollution that is carried to waterways. Stormwater runoff transports sediments, toxicants, nutrients, and pathogens to local waterways. According to the EPA, stormwater is a leading source of water pollution to nearly 40% of water bodies in the U.S.
Finally, the EPA has established federal stormwater quality management regulations that require municipalities to develop Stormwater Quality Management Plans, which detail how stormwater quality will be supervised in their own communities. Revenues from the Stormwater Utility will improve stormwater quantity and quality management throughout the Town of Fishers.
I already pay a sewer utility fee. Why do I now have to pay a stormwater utility fee?
If you already pay a sewer utility fee, this is for your sanitary sewer service. Sanitary sewer water is treated by the local wastewater plant and thus requires a fee for treatment. The stormwater utility fee is meant to provide funding for the storm sewer system. Water in storm sewer systems is not treated in the traditional sense before being discharged to local water bodies. The stormwater utility fee will cover Town costs associated with keeping local waterways clean by providing stormwater management in the form of public education and awareness, illegal dumping enforcement, construction plan review and site inspection, stormwater quality unit inspection, and municipal good housekeeping operations.
What is the new Stormwater Utility Fee and how was it calculated?
Stormwater Utility Fees are based on the contribution that each Town property makes to the total amount of stormwater that the Town's storm sewer system must handle. Impervious surface area was used as the runoff driver for each Town property. Based on a representative sample of more than 1,900 residential properties, it was determined that the average residential lot has a total of 3,318 square feet of impervious surfaces. This average square footage of impervious surface area is known as an equivalent residential unit (ERU). Each residential property within the Town is charged for one ERU per month at a pre-defined rate.
Non-residential properties are also charged based on the amount of impervious area on their property. The total amount of impervious surface area on a non-residential parcel of land is divided by 3,318 square feet (one ERU) to determine the number of ERU's associated with a given parcel. These properties are then charged a pre-defined rate per ERU per month. For example, a commercial property with 9,954 square feet of impervious area would be charged for 3 ERUs (9,954sq.ft./3,318sq.ft.) and would pay a monthly utility fee of three times the residential rate.
Who has to pay the Stormwater Utility Fee?
All properties within the Town of Fishers will be subject to the stormwater fee. Different property classes will pay monthly rates based on the amount of impervious surfaces located on a given property. It has been proposed that all vacant properties will be charged for 1/3 of an ERU per month. Vacant properties are still required to pay a stormwater fee because even though they may not contain impervious surfaces, they still contribute to some stormwater runoff and owners of the parcels are still responsible for contributing towards public education and other aspects of the stormwater program.
If I have a retention pond on my property do I still have to pay the Stormwater Utility Fee?
Yes. All parcels within the Town have to pay a fee. Although retention ponds do provide some measure of stormwater quality, they do not adequately filter all pollutants from stormwater. All new development is required to have a pond or other stormwater storage facility that limits flooding and reduces stormwater pollution as a minimum standard. In addition, many of the existing ponds within the Town were not designed with water quality in mind and were primarily designed to limit flooding. In addition, the stormwater utility fee is designed to cover a broad range of services related to stormwater quality such as public education, storm sewer maintenance, inspections, management, etc., some of which might not directly affect your individual site at a given time, but these services must be broadly funded from all parcel owners within the town to collectively have a positive effect on stormwater.
If I rent an apartment, home, townhome, or condominium, do I have to pay a stormwater utility fee?
You will not necessarily be sent a stormwater utility fee directly since stormwater utility bills will be sent to the property owners. However, you will likely pay the fee indirectly through increases in your rent. It will be up to the property owner to decide how they will pass along the stormwater utility fee for their property.
I pay a drainage fee to Hamilton County. Do I have to pay the Town fee, as well?
Yes. Town residents currently paying ditch or other assessments to Hamilton County will continue to pay those assessments. The Hamilton County Surveyor's Office is responsible for maintenance of County Regulated Drains, even when they are within the Town. Revenues from Ditch Assessments are paid solely to the County for management of regulated drains under their jurisdiction.
Revenues from the Stormwater Utility Fee will be solely for the management and maintenance of Town owned and operated stormwater facilities, infrastructure, and programs.
If I have a drainage problem in my back yard swale will the utility pay for the repair?
No. The Stormwater Utility funds will only be used to pay for repair of publicly owned infrastructure or right-of-way drainage maintenance. Drainage issues in privately owned yards, or on privately owned business properties are the responsibility of the private property owners. The Town will inspect private drainage issues and may give recommendations for repair; however, funding and construction of these issues are not paid by the Town.
How did the Town fund stormwater projects in the past?
In the past, the Town has utilized the general fund to pay for stormwater management services. However, due to new federal, state, and local regulations, population and development growth, aging infrastructure, and limited staff and funding resources, the Town cannot adequately meet the current demand. Ever increasing service demands and recent federal and state mandated regulations require that the Town address stormwater management more aggressively. In addition, the stormwater utility as designed, more fairly distributes the cost of stormwater management to those who negatively impact stormwater the most (i.e. parcels with large impervious surfaces).
What services will I receive as a result of the stormwater utility?
Fees collected through the Stormwater Utility Fee will be utilized to add additional staff and resources necessary to implement and comply with newly mandated stormwater pollution prevention programs.
These additional resources will be utilized to help reduce the amount of polluted runoff associated with construction sites through increased plan review and site inspections procedures. Staff will also be charged with reducing the amount in stormwater pollution associated with illegal connections and discharges to the storm sewer system by conducting screening of stormwater outfalls and conveyances.
Finally, newly generated revenues will also be utilized to implement stormwater planning and implementation projects to improve localized drainage problems throughout the Town.
How does the Fishers' Stormwater Utility Fee compare with other Stormwater Utility Fees?
Across the State, more than 30 communities have established a separate stormwater funding mechanism. These utilities are currently being implemented by municipalities as small as the Town of Cicero and as large as the City of Indianapolis. Other local communities such as Westfield, Anderson, Brownsburg, Plainfield, and Fortville also have stormwater utilities.
As more and more communities begin to deal with new issues, stormwater management requirements and programs, it is likely that more and more communities will begin implementing Stormwater Utility Fees.
Who do I contact if I have a question about the stormwater utility?
For additional information contact the Town of Fishers Stormwater Hotline at 317-567-5056 or email stormwater@fishers.in.us
