The City of Prairie Village has initiated a stormwater utility. One of the services the City of Prairie Village provides is stormwater management. This is accomplished through the construction and maintenance of a stormwater management system comprised of curbs, gutters, inlets, pipes, and drainage channels located both under and above-ground throughout the City.
The cost to maintain the City's 66.4 miles of stormwater facilities and 3,773 drainage structures is expected to increase 5% annually. Because most of the City’s largescale stormwater projects have been completed, the entire cost of maintaining this system will likely fall on the City and require financing through the General Fund. An alternative method for funding stormwater management costs is to establish a stormwater utility fee. This approach has been used in cities across the country and in Johnson County including Mission, Fairway, Overland Park, Lenexa, and Shawnee.
The purpose of the stormwater utility is to create a dedicated revenue stream to finance stormwater projects based on a fee structure linking the amount of stormwater runoff created by property owners to the amount of money these property owners pay toward upkeep of the system. Unlike the property tax, stormwater utility fees may be assessed on all properties, regardless of their taxable status. As proposed, fees will be based on the square feet of impervious area on a property. A single family residential property will be charged a fee based on the footprint of the residence including the garage plus the area of the driveway. Commercial, institutional, and some multi-family properties will be charged a fee representing the actual amount of impervious area. In Johnson County, stormwater utility fees range from $0.01 to $0.10 per impervious square foot per year. The 2009 Prairie Village stormwater utility fee is $0.038 per square foot of impervious area. Fee revenue must be placed in a separate fund and used only for stormwater management purposes.
Stormwater Utility Fee Credit
On July 20, 2009, the City Council approved the Stormwater Utility Fee Credit Policy. There are two types of credit opportunities available. One type is an Education Credit for educational institutions that provide education instruction and training to their students and personnel. The other type of credit is a BMP Credit which is available to property owners who implement practices that reduce the flow of storm waters to the City system.
Stormwater Utility Fee Credit Application Form
Stormwater Utility Fee Annual Report Form
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