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1. Why has the city added this fee?

The fee will fund the stormwater program which includes activities to maintain compliance with state and federal law. Due to the significant and ongoing cost of the program, the city council utilized an alternative to property taxes that is fairer and more equitable, similar to a user fee. Adding the costs of the program to the tax levy would have been a huge tax increase for property owners.

2. Isn’t this just another tax?

The difference is that the amount you pay in property taxes is based upon the value of your property. The amount of your stormwater fee is based upon the impact on the stormwater system by your property’s impervious surface.

3. What will the fee be used for?

State and federal law require three major categories of activities be carried out by municipalities. The revenue for this fee will ensure the city is compliant with those laws. They include the following:
a) The administration, planning, analysis, installation, operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of public storm water drainage systems.
b) The administration, planning, implementation, construction, and maintenance of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the introduction of sediment and other pollutants into local water resources.
c) All necessary activities to maintain compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit requirements established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including preparation, implementation, and management of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

4. What is Stormwater?

Stormwater, as defined under Minnesota Rule 7077.0105, sub. 41b storm water, means precipitation runoff, storm water runoff, snow melt runoff, and any other surface runoff and drainage.

5. I haven’t heard of this before, was there a public hearing process?

Multiple public meetings were held from the start of the Storm Water Utility Feasibility Study in 2011 to the adoption of the ordinance on December 15, 2014. This process included multiple presentations to the city council and public outreach efforts to solicit input in the forms of an educational video on Facebook, YouTube, the city website, funding survey, and multiple articles in the Elk River Star News and the Current.

6. Why are these regulations in place?

Stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution and can harm surface waters such as lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. Management of stormwater runoff from urbanized areas is very important for restoring or protecting surface waters. Check out this website for more information: link

7. What is an MS4?

MS4 is the system of conveyances that include sidewalks, roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, or storm drains that are owned and operated by the city and designed or used for collecting or conveying storm water, and not used for collecting or conveying sewage.

8. How much will I be charged?

That depends on the property type. There are three categories of fees. 1) Residential properties within the Urban Service Area, roughly the southern half of the city that is served by city water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer. 2) Residential properties outside the Urban Service Area that use the county ditch system as a conveyance before reaching the city stormwater system. 3) All other properties, including commercial, industrial, institutional, etc.
o Single-family, duplex, and townhome residential properties in the Urban Service Area pay $3 per month per residential unit
o Single-family, duplex, and townhome residential properties not in the Urban Service Area pay $2 per month per residential unit
o All other properties pay $21 per month per acre of impervious surface, which is defined as a constructed hard surface that prevents or retards the entry of water into the soil, and causes water to run off the surface in greater quantities and at an increased rate of flow than existed prior to development. Examples include rooftops, sidewalks, patios, driveways, parking lots, storage areas, and concrete, asphalt, or gravel roads.

9. When will the fee collection end?

The fee is a long-term funding mechanism in order to achieve and maintain compliance with our MPCA permit.

10. Why is this fee added now?

The City of Elk River’s MS4 permit was reissued in 2014 with more stringent regulations of our program. Prior to the reissuance, our permit had included only limited regulation pertaining to maintenance, education, documentation, and BMP management. Other City's