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STORMWATER UTILITY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. Why do I have to pay a stormwater fee?

A. The City is responsible for providing stormwater management facilities and services, including installation and maintenance of storm drains, inlets and ditches, as well as ensuring that state programs such as erosion and sediment control are provided on construction sites to protect Sligo Creek and the Chesapeake Bay. Funding is not provided by federal or state government for these services.

Q. How will revenues be used

A. All revenues will be used to support the stormwater program, which includes maintenance of the drainage system, such as pipes and ditches; protecting properties from flooding; protecting our streams and wetlands from erosion and pollution; and complying with state and federal regulatory mandates.

Q. Will revenues be spent throughout the City?

A. Yes the stormwater management program is Citywide.

Q. Why is the stormwater management program not funded by tax revenues?

A. It was funded by tax revenues until fiscal year 1997, however, tax revenues were not a reliable source of funding for the program. The stormwater management utility fee is fairer than a stormwater tax based on the assessed value of the property because: The fee is based on each property's actual contribution to stormwater runoff and property including tax exempt contributes a fair and equitable share towards the overall cost of the stormwater management program

Q. Does that mean I pay less tax?

A. Yes. The dedicated portion of the property tax that was used for the stormwater program has been eliminated. The rates assessed by the City Council for stormwater management have varied from 3 cents to 8 cents per $100 of assessed value. It would require a tax of about 6 cents per $100 to generate the same amount of revenue as the stormwater fee generates. About 80 percent of single-family homeowners pay less for stormwater management under the fee system than they have paid under the property tax system.

Q. My neighborhood has drainage problems. Who do I call to get some action on these problems?

A. You can call the City Department of Public Works at (301) 891-7633. If the problem is City responsibility, we will add it to our maintenance and repair schedule.

Q. How is the rate established?

A. The rate is set by City Council, based on continued funding of historical budget levels for the stormwater management program.

Q. Are tax-exempt properties also exempt from the stormwater fee?

A. No, because it is a fee, not a tax. Taxes are based on the value of the property. The stormwater fee is assessed based on how much the property contributes to the amount of stormwater runoff from the property.

Q. How are residential property fees determined?

A. Each single-family residential dwelling unit is billed at a flat rate each year. Multi-family dwellings and all non-residential properties will be billed at a rate that is based on their actual impervious area. For example, if a property has three times as much impervious area as the average single-family residential parcel, it will pay three times as much.

Q. How are non-residential or multi-family property fees determined?

A. To determine the annual fee, divide the total impervious area by one Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) (1,228 sf), obtain the number of ERUs and multiply by the rate. If the property has multiple owners, divide the total fee by the number of owners to obtain the fee by owner. The minimum utility fee for any developed property is never less than one ERU. Impervious areas were determined by analyzing aerial photographs and the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission's mapping data to identify the amount of impervious surface on each property.

Q. Why do I have to pay when I do not have any drainage problems?

A. Everyone in the City benefits from the Stormwater Management Program. If stormwater runs off your property, the City must have a program and funding to manage the increase in runoff and pollutants. Direct benefits may include protecting your property from upstream runoff, protecting property downstream from your runoff, and improving water quality in Sligo Creek.

Q. Can I request a change to my stormwater bill?

A. According to City Code Section16.08.120, a property owner may request correction of the fee by submitting the request in writing to the City Administrator within 30 days after the date the assessment notice or the bill is mailed or issued to the property owner. Grounds for correction of the fee include:
1. Incorrect classification of the property for purposes of determining the fee;
2. Errors in the square footage of the impervious surface area of the property;
3. Mathematical errors in calculating the fee to be applied to the property; and
4. Errors in the identification of the property owner of a property subject to the fee.

The City Administrator shall make a determination within 30 days after receipt of the property owner’s completed written request for correction of the fee. The City Administrator’s decision on a request for correction of the fee shall be final. A property owner must comply with all rules and procedures adopted by the City when submitting a request for correction of the fee and must provide all information necessary for the City Administrator to make a determination on a request for correction of the fee. If a property owner alleges an error in the square footage of the impervious surface area of the property, then the request for correction must include a certification by a registered engineer or professional land surveyor of the impervious surface area of the property. Failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be grounds for denial of the request.

Want more information?

If you would like additional information on the stormwater management utility or have specific concerns about stormwater management issues, please contact: City Engineer, 301-891-7620 or Billing Issues: Finance Department, 301-891-7212.