Title
A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 131-20 Modifying the 2021 Sand Creek Basin Fees.
Presenter:
Richard Mulledy, P.E., Stormwater Enterprise Manager, Stormwater Enterprise
Erin Powers, P.E., Senior Engineer, Stormwater Enterprise
Body
Summary:
The Colorado Springs/El Paso County Drainage Board at their January 21, 2021, meeting approved a recommendation to City Council to set the Sand Creek Basin drainage fee at $18,841 per acre, and to remove the current bridge, pond land, pond facility, and surcharge fees in the Sand Creek Basin.
Background:
The Drainage Board’s recommendation to modify the Sand Creek basin fees is based on the recent adoption of the 2021 Sand Creek Drainage Basin Planning Study (DBPS). The last approved Sand Creek DBPS was completed by Kiowa Engineering in 1996. A detention analysis for Upper Sand Creek was completed in 2009 by Wilson & Company. A full update to the Sand Creek DBPS, including Upper Sand Creek, was performed by Stantec Inc. to account for recent annexations and changes in stormwater criteria.
Fees in the Sand Creek Basin currently consist of a drainage fee ($13,775/acre), a bridge fee ($819/acre), a pond land fee ($1,070/acre), a pond facility fee ($3,957/acre), and a surcharge ($1,435/acre). Including the surcharge, total basin fees within Ridgeview and Indigo Ranch are currently $21,056 per acre. Total fees in areas of the Sand Creek Basin not subject to the surcharge are currently $19,621 per acre. Based on the 2021 Sand Creek DBPS, the Drainage Board recommended a change to the drainage fees in the Sand Creek Basin. Specifically, the recommendation is for a drainage fee of $18,841 per acre and to remove the current bridge, pond land, pond facility, and surcharge fees.
Because no additional regional detention ponds are planned within the Sand Creek Basin, the pond land and pond facility fees are no longer needed. The surcharge is no longer applicable to undeveloped areas of Sand Creek. Additionally, all bridges in undeveloped areas of Sand Creek will be part of annexation agreements and are therefore not eligible for reimbursement.
Previous Council Action:
On December 8, 2020, the City Council approved Resolution No. 131-20 establishing the 2021 Sand Creek Basin Fees. This resolution set the drainage fee for the Sand Creek basin at $13,775 per acre, the bridge fee at $819 per acre, the pond land fee at $1,070 per acre, the pond facility fee at $3,957 per acre, and the surcharge at $1,435 per acre.
Financial Implications:
Drainage fees are paid by developers and are used to reimburse other developers who construct drainage improvements. These basin fees are not utilized by the City of Colorado Springs for drainage infrastructure, maintenance or improvements. Instead, the fees are used to help offset the costs that developers incur to build public infrastructure that is beyond their obligation. The increase in the drainage fee should help preserve the financial integrity of this drainage basin. The revenue and expenditures for drainage fees are tracked in a separate fund. There is no impact to the General Fund.
City Council Appointed Board/Commission/Committee Recommendation:
The Colorado Springs/El Paso County Drainage Board at their January 21, 2021, meeting approved a recommendation to City Council to set the Sand Creek Basin drainage fee at $18,841 per acre, and to remove the current bridge, pond land, pond facility, and surcharge fees in the Sand Creek Basin.
Stakeholder Process:
There was no public comment on the item presented at the Drainage Board meeting. Multiple stakeholder meetings were held during the development of the 2021 Sand Creek DBPS.
Alternatives:
Leave the basin fees for the Sand Creek basin at its current amount. This could result in the fees being too low to cover all of the reimbursable drainage facility costs in the basin.
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
City staff is bringing forward the recommendation of the Drainage Board, which was to approve the resolution to set the Sand Creek Basin drainage fee at $18,841 per acre, and to remove the current bridge, pond land, pond facility, and surcharge fees in the Sand Creek Basin, with adoption of the updated fee schedule effective upon City Council approval.
Summary of Ordinance Language
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