New storm water tax to help reduce flooding in Montesano
By Amy Jennings, Vidette Reporter, 5/13/99, The Montesano Vidette
Montesano property owners recently received notice of' their newest utility tax. For some the impact is minor - others will be paying several hundred dollars more to the city each year.
Montesano Public Works Director Clint Dice calls it the "rain tax." Officially it is known as the Storm Water Utility, but whatever its name is, it boils down to a tax which will help the city improve storm water drainage in the community.
Property was evaluated based on the square feet of "impervious surface," or its roofs, driveways and parking lots. Single family homes were assigned a round number of 3,000 square feet, for a total cost of $1.30 per month.
Businesses and multifamily dwellings (apartment homes) were evaluated based on an aerial map of the city. They will be charged $.87 per 1,000 square feet of impervious surface.
Smaller businesses like The Vidette - which has no driveway or parking lot - will pay very little, but Grays Harbor Grange Supply measured in at 40,000 square feet, for a total of $208.90 per year. Pick-Rite Thriftway was measured at 126,000 square feet for a monetary total of $657.72 annually, and the Montesano School District will pay nearly $1,000 per year for the storm water utility.
Dice stresses that everyone pays equally based on their impervious surface.
"If you generate it (storm water run-off/flood hazard), you have to pay for it," Dice said. "We have been appropriating money out of the road fund to do these types of projects, but that takes away from street repairs. It's getting way beyond what the fund can afford."
Dice said that most of the city's flooding problems are related to the waters that collect at Schofield Creek. The city has a comprehensive storm water plan that identifies problem areas, and culverts have been assessed fairly recently. Much of the drainage throughout the city is inadequate, but Dice says it takes time and money to do the projects.
"We're going to start downstream and work our way upstream," he said. "As the council can afford to supplement the budget, they are likely to do that - but that will be a council decision."
Glenn and Satsop Street drainage problems are high on the priority list, but the additional $25,000 per year generated by the new storm water utility isn't likely to pay for even half the project.
"That project is estimated to cost about $60,000," said Dice. "Area residents may be asked to help fund the improvements in their neighborhood."
Dice notes that anyone who thinks their storm water utility evaluation is incorrect has 90 days to appeal to the city.
"We've already made one adjustment," Dice noted. "The aerial map we used was done several years ago and there are things that have changed."
For information call the city, 249-3021.
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