REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Adoption of a Resolution Setting the Rates for the Storm Drain Environmental Compliance Fee
Report
BACKGROUND
The City's stormwater discharges are regulated by the Municipal Regional Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (MRP) issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), San Francisco Bay Region. The MRP mandates the City to require building permit applicants to incorporate stormwater treatment measures into certain development projects, implement business and construction site inspection programs, maintain illegal discharge elimination protocols, conduct public education programs, conduct water quality monitoring, and reduce trash loads and other pollutants of concern from entering waterways.
The City Council established the Storm Drain Environmental Compliance Fee in 1994 to improve stormwater quality. The revenue generated from the fee supports the City's effort to comply with the MRP requirements. The requirements in the MRP continue to get more stringent and the cost to comply has escalated. It is necessary to increase the fee to generate sufficient revenue to fund the necessary programs to maintain compliance.
At the June 12, 2018 Council meeting, Council will open the public hearing and hear protests regarding the proposed rates. In addition, the Council meeting will be the last opportunity for City storm drain utility customers to return written protests against the proposed rates. At the close of the public hearing, the protests will be tabulated. If a majority of storm drain utility customers protest the proposed rates, Council will be unable to raise the storm drain rates. If there is not a majority protest of the rates, Council may increase the storm drain rates as specified in Table A of the Resolution (Attachment 1).
DISCUSSION
A summary of the proposed adjustments to the monthly Storm Drain Environmental Compliance Fee rates is inc...
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