Petition filed opposing Cedar Rapids stormwater fee changes

CEDAR RAPIDS - Opponents have filed a petition to scrap a plan to restructure city stormwater fees such that properties pay more if it has more impervious surface.

The petition has 123 signatures, largely from the Kirkwood Estate Mobile Homes Park, but makes no official demands.

'If the new storm sewer utility fees that are under consideration are imposed on mobile home parks in our city those fees will have to be passed on to residents of these parks, raising our lot rents so much it will be impossible for us to continue to live in any mobile home park,” according to a letter signed by Rev. and Mrs. Clinton E. Jeffers, who identified themselves as elderly residents with low incomes.

City staff, though, recommended city council move forward with the new model during a public hearing on Tuesday. Several city councilors spoke in favor of the plan.

'Our problems with flooding are a little more severe than many other communities,” said council member Ralph Russell. 'This plan is very fair, very equitable.”

Russell called it a step in the right direction.

City staff have been working on the plan for months as a way to more fairly charge for stormwater runoff, which has contributed to regular flooding and flash flooding issues here, and to help tackle a $100 million backlog in upgrades for the dated stormwater system.

The stormwater fee policy would come to vote at a future meeting, with a target implementation of July 1.

The plan pit the city squarely against its largest property owners, employers and retailers, who could see their bills skyrocket.

Under the current system, property owners regardless of the land use pay 17 cents per day per quarter acre of property, or about $60 per year.

Under the new plan, a property owner with 10 acres, 5 of which are impervious, would see the annual bill increase 19 percent from about $2,600 to $3,100. Those with 100 acres, 75 of which are impervious, would pay nearly 14 times more than the current cap of $3,133, up to $46,592 a year.

After resistance, city officials revised the plan to phase it in over six years, offer credits for offering education and installing stormwater infiltration practices, such as bioswales and permeable pavers, and cap the max charge up until 2022 when the full fee would be charged.

Several large companies, such as Rockwell Collins, have come around on the plan, but densely packed residential areas, such as mobile home parks, have continued to oppose the policy change.

City staff estimate the new system will generate an extra $1 million per year, up from $4 million to $5 million in stormwater fee revenues.

'Cedar Rapids has been experiencing flooding and flash flooding issues for decades, and we need to find a way to make changes,” said Jen Winter, Cedar Rapids public works director.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett was the only official who spoke against the plan, although he note the city council likely had the votes to move forward without him.

Corbett called it unusual not to 'grandfather” in existing properties, especially given City Hall approves site plans and may have required more impervious surface, for example, more parking. He also said it created more complexities and bureaucracy, rather than simplification.

For example, who would decide what qualifies as an education credit, he said. He said he was uneasy that the city didn't lead by example by incorporating infiltration practices in its own projects, such as permeable pavers on city streets and sidewalks.

'It appears we are saying, do as I say, not as I do, ' Corbett said.