Bill Estes of the Cleveland City CouncilCLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland City Council wants to know more about establishing a stormwater utility fee to help the city address flooding.
Cleveland’s leaders are scheduled to review the matter today with stormwater consultant David Mason and Jonathan Jobe, director of the city’s engineering and development department.
The discussion comes after Mason presented a stormwater utility feasibility study to the City Council in late January. Several councilmen expressed concerns regarding how to fairly and efficiently implement a dedicated stormwater fee.
“This is not a stand-alone project,” said Councilman Bill Estes. “We need to take the time to do it right.”
Estes questioned the fairness of a proposed $3.25 monthly residential fee, which would be based on the size of the average impervious area — roofs, driveways and sidewalks that don’t absorb water — of residential properties. That average would be designated as an equivalent residential unit (ERU) in stormwater rate language.