City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: APRIL 16, 2025
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: EMILY A. BAKER, P.E., DEPUTY CITY MANAGER
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Hearing. Consideration of Passage on Public Hearing of an Ordinance to amend and reordain Section 5-6-233 (STORMWATER UTILITY FEE) of Chapter 6 (WATER AND SEWER) of Article C (STORMWATER UTILITY) of Title 5 (TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES), of the Code of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, 1981, as amended.
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of an ordinance to increase the stormwater utility fee rate to continue acceleration of storm sewer capacity capital improvement projects as well as operations and maintenance activities related to Flood Action Alexandria.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Introduce the proposed ordinance on first reading,
2. Set the ordinance for public hearing on Tuesday, April 22, 2025; and
3. Set it for second reading and final passage on April 30, 2025, with budget adoption.
BACKGROUND: On May 4, 2017, the City Council adopted an ordinance to enact the framework of a Stormwater Utility (SWU) at a rate of $140 per billing unit to provide a dedicated funding source to more equitably distribute the increasing costs of recent state and federal Chesapeake Bay protection mandates that require the implementation of costly infrastructure associated with stormwater management. Over the past several years, impacts due to climate change have led to more frequent, intense storm events which have increased city wide flooding concerns and further exacerbated existing storm sewer capacity issues. The City created the Flood Action Alexandria initiative to address flooding issues.
DISCUSSION: Continuing the City Council’s directive to be more aggressive in funding and constructing storm sewer projects, and consistent with the Stormwater Utility and Flood Mitigation Advisory Group’s recommendation, an increase in the SWU fee from $324.10 to per billing unit to $340.30 per billing unit is proposed for FY 2026. This increase in funding would generate approximately $20.8 million total annually to fund operating costs and accelerate storm sewer large capacity projects, spot improvements, stream and channel maintenance, and storm sewer maintenance projects.
FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed increase in the SWU fee would generate additional revenue totaling approximately $1.1 million annually.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Stormwater Utility Ordinance Cover
Attachment 2: Revised Article C, Chapter 6 of Stormwater Utility Ordinance
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, P.E., Deputy City Manager
William J. Skrabak, Deputy Director, Transportation & Environmental Services
Jesse E. Maines, Stormwater Management Division Chief, T&ES
Christina Brown, Deputy City Attorney
Lindsay Dubin, Assistant City Attorney