Madison City Council discusses stormwater utility ordinance
The Madison City Council's work session on Jan. 31 gave it its first look at a draft stormwater utility ordinance.
The city has been considering a stormwater utility program for several years with more emphasis on its creation since City Manager John Klimm came on board almost three years ago.
As part of that process, the city commissioned a study of its stormwater infrastructure in 2024.
According to City Engineer Aaron Wadley, the study's results weren’t as bad as anticipated for a city as old as Madison.
However, significant issues will have to be addressed over the coming years. The stormwater utility program represents a way to generate revenue to pay for those issues.
Wadley said that government entities operating stormwater utility programs generally bill any property with more than 400 square feet of impervious surface. The city must also consider what exemptions will be included in the program, including possible exemptions for churches, non-profit organizations, or government-owned buildings. Such properties already pay utility bills, and the program should be considered a utility, not a tax.
“It rains on the just as well as the unjust,” Councilor Carrie Peters-Reid joked about the fairness of churches paying stormwater utility fees.
Wadley said most governments do not exempt churches, but some structures bill them to lower costs.
Roads and railroad tracks would not be considered impervious surfaces for the utility's purposes. However, buildings used by railroad companies or the Georgia Department of Transportation could be.
Klimm recommended avoiding exemptions and treating everyone the same. He also suggested starting with a modest fee as citizens begin to understand the program's purpose and how they will benefit from it over the long haul.
Wadley said that a flat fee will initially be established for residential customers based on 2,500 square feet of impervious surface because the city does not have a robust Geographic Information System (GIS) program.
According to the draft under consideration, rates for residential customers might total $3 to $8 monthly. Rates for commercial properties are a bit more complicated and expensive due to the considerable runoff created by parking lots, large roofs, etc.
Wadley said commercial business owners can get discounts for previously installed retention ponds and other measures to mitigate stormwater issues.
Wadley also said gravel surfaces would be considered impervious and consistent with zoning ordinances.
Federal funding will be available to help Madison implement its system. Still, Wadley said starting a program will help Madison procure grants since it is willing to invest in the utility.
Madison is also considering zoning ordinance changes related to creating the stormwater utility.