TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kristoff Bauer, ICMA-CM, Deputy City Manager
FROM: Sheila Thomas-Ambat, PE, Public Services Director
John Larch, PE, Stormwater Manager
DATE: January 14, 2020
RE:
Title
Stormwater Program Overview
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 3: High Quality Built Environment
Goal 4: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
Executive Summary:
The City of Fayetteville Stormwater Program utilizes funding from the Stormwater Fee to provide a number of services for the City, to include infrastructure improvements, water quality protection, educational outreach, and drainage maintenance. Staff will provide a brief overview of the program and how it is organized.
Background:
Stormwater is surface water that results from rain and storm events. Stormwater runoff is generated from rain and snowmelt that flow over land or impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces are hard surfaces that do not allow water to soak into the ground, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops. As this water flows over these areas, it picks up sediment, nutrients, bacteria, metals, pesticides, and other pollutants. Unlike sanitary sewers that go to a treatment plant, most stormwater is discharged directly into local water bodies. Development increases the amount of impervious surfaces in urban areas and reduces the ability of the water to soak into the ground. This in turn increases the potential for localized flooding on roadways and private property.
In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Federal laws were implemented to protect surface water from pollution. During the 1990’s, these laws resulted in State agencies, such as the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, implementing permit programs to regulate the pollutants that enter creeks and streams from stormwater. Larger municipalities such as Fayetteville were required to obtain a permit in order to ensure stormwater systems were being maintained properly. In July 1995, the City was issued a municipal stormwater discharge permit from the State and EPA. The City Stormwater Program was developed to ensure compliance with the permit.
In 2007, the Fayetteville City Council implemented a Stormwater Fee for properties within the City limits to address stormwater capital projects that were not previously funded. The "drainage' fee was assessed to all developed properties (residential/non-residential/business) within the city limits. This fee supports a higher level of maintenance of the existing infrastructure, development of drainage plans and flood control measures, and funding for major capital expenses. The fee also pays for the operational costs needed to stay compliant with the NPDES permit. The current fee is $72 per household which generates approximately $11-million per year.
Historically, stormwater roadway infrastructure was maintained by the City as part of its normal roadway management program. As the Program has matured, staff are including costs related to stormwater roadway infrastructure upgrades and improvements either wholly or partially as part of the Utility funds. Additionally, developers build stormwater pipes or structures as they construct neighborhoods and the infrastructure in the public RoW is accepted by the City annually.
The stormwater program includes a Development Review Program (Water Quality and Quantity), Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the Drainage Assistance Program, a Stormwater RoW Maintenance and Street Sweeping Program, and a NPDES Water Quality Permit Program which includes an educational outreach component. Employees include maintenance personnel, engineers, inspectors, a public information specialist, and administrative support specialists. As the stormwater program has expanded, the City has also worked with a variety of community partners and other agencies to improve the services provided to the citizens.
The City Council appoints the Stormwater Advisory Board which is a board of nine citizens who provide recommendations on Stormwater Issues.
In 2019, the Mayor established a City Council Stormwater Committee that explores stormwater issues in more depth and provides feedback to the City Council.
Issues/Analysis:
Staff will present a more in-depth overview of the stormwater master plan and the drainage assistance program at the January 14th special work session. This overview is intended to provide a common understanding of the stormwater program elements as Council begins to consider specific issues.
Budget Impact:
N/A
Options:
N/A
Recommended Action:
N/A.
Attachments:
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