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Town of Chapel Hill Stormwater Management -Stormwater Utility FAQ Page 5 of 6 <br />When will the Town address the drainage problem going <br />on in my yard or neighborhood? <br />One proposed element of the utility-supported stormwater management <br />program would be to perform more drainage maintenance projects on private <br />property. This program would have a method of ranking and prioritizing <br />drainage problems. This work would be based on the currently established <br />Drainage Assistance Program. The existing program is not currently funded. <br />Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper just to raise taxes to <br />pay for the stormwater management program? <br />Although the existing funds for stormwater management are from the General <br />Fund, taxes are not an equitable or reliable means to fund stormwater <br />management activities. Equity is achieved when each property owner pays a <br />fair share based on the demand his or her property places on the stormwater <br />management system. Each year the Town establishes a budget, based on tax <br />revenue and program needs throughout Town, both of which can and do <br />change from year to year. As an example, the Capital Improvements Program <br />is not funded in the 2004-2005 budget as currently proposed, A stormwater <br />management program could most efficiently and effectively be operated on a <br />reliable and consistent revenue stream that would be established through a <br />fee-based utility. <br />Would this require a large staff increase? <br />Stormwater management staff resources would be increased from 2 to 4 full- <br />time employees. Further increases would depend on the level and extent of <br />services to be implemented in future years, It is anticipated that much of the <br />program work could be accomplished efficiently and at lower cost by using <br />contract workers rather than hiring new permanent Town staff. <br />My subdivision is new and has some amount of <br />stormwater management already built in. Would we have <br />to pay the same rate as older neighborhoods with no <br />stormwater management? <br />It has not yet been determined how the proposed credit system would function <br />(see the above question on reducing fees), but we expect to provide credits for <br />stormwater management improvements implemented by individual property <br />owners or by developers that exceed specified minimum requirements, The <br />size or type of parcel would likely be a factor in the credit system. <br />I live on top of a hill, and I don't ever have any drainage <br />problems. Why would I have to pay for stormwater <br />management services? <br />Impervious surface on your parcel places a certain demand on the stormwater <br />system, Stormwater runoff generated by your property must be controlled and <br />conveyed once it leaves your property so that it does not create problems for <br />http://townhall.townofelrapelhill.org/stormwater/utility_faghhnl 5/24/2004 <br />