That's the new rate for most Charlotte residents starting in July, a 23 cent increase.
Others will either see monthly increases of up to $1.99. Commercial property owners will pay up to $3.75 more an acre.
Click here to see how your monthly bill will change. (Most people are in Tier II).
Here's why about 10 percent of residents will actually see their bills drop:
Even though the Charlotte City Council recently agreed to raise its stormwater fees by 5 percent starting July 1, Mecklenburg County went to a staggered system.
The Mecklenburg fee structure divides all residential accounts into four tiers based on the amount of hard surfaces like driveways, sidewalks or patios. The impervious surfaces can lead to flooding in heavy downpours.
The four-tier system, commissioners said, would make the rates more fair and raise fees for those with larger amount of hard surfaces and lowering them for those with less. Davidson also has approved the four-tier structure.
So people with smaller areas of hard surfaces, typically small properties, will see a drop because the county's share of their stormwater bill will more than offset the city hike.
- April Bethea
Friday, June 19, 2009
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12 comments:
Really, I can't afford another rate increase. I already feel like I pay for my house and the neighbor's too.
If you build a small berm at the low point of your property and catch the water in rain barrels, you can prove the water retained is less than what you receive, are you eligible for a discount or money back for not addding to the flooding?
SiteDevelopmentEngineer
I meant to say if the amount retained is GREATER than....
my mistake
Engineer
So wait, last year we get charged for using too much water because their wasn't enough, now we're charged because there's too much water?
What the _____????
Hint: This is not really a fee, since a fee implies a service is being performed. My parents have not payed their "fee" for years and the collection of it is not enforced.
I have no problem with this plan. Homes with larger footprints and paved areas DO generate more runoff than smaller ones and should pay more. Larger yards can only absorb so much, so most of the runoff does end up in the creeks (esp. during thunderstorms).
Also, water conservation was needed during the drought to ensure that communities down stream had water (like those in SC). If anyone saw the Catawba River during the drought they would understand this. Charlotte is NOT the only community that uses the Catawba for water.
Wow! A 23 cent per month increase. The peasants will surely revolt now!
The new rate is good because there's too much concrete.
Why is it that home _owners_ have to pay the stormwater bill, when they don't even live in the home and use the property themselves?
I own a property and rent it out, and this City makes ME the owner pay for the runoff, while the folks leasing and using the property have water service and pay for fresh water, but do not have to pay for the stormwater runoff while they live there.
I was looking at my house and thinking about the run off. I was thinking about how much water off my roof makes it to the street and the storm drains. After careful consideration, I'm pretty sure none of it does. Why am I being charged for run off that doesn't get to the storm drains?
Char-Meck continues to nickel and dime its residents to death.
I live in the Charlotte city limits and we don't even have curb and gutter and storm drains in my neighborhood. No sidewalks, either.
This Blog is going places, the people, the layout, amazing to see such dedication and focus.
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