Case Study Rural and Small Town Stormwater Program Development and Funding

Transcription

1 Case Study Rural and Small Town Stormwater Program Development and Funding K e i t h R e a d l i n g, P E R a f t e l i s F i n a n c i a l C o n s u l t a n t s k r e a d l i n r a f t e l i s. c o m M e l i s s a H o d g e s T o w n o f B u t n e r, N C m h o d g e b u t n e r n c. o r g

2 Our Story Today Stormwater management generally, and Butner s situation History Regulatory drivers, Falls rules Compliance planning beginning to work together Partnership and shared services how? Implementation Next steps defining success

3 Our Story Today Stormwater management generally, and Butner s situation History Regulatory drivers, Falls rules Compliance planning beginning to work together Partnership and shared services how? Implementation Next steps defining success

4 Our Story Today

5 Stormwater Regulations in Butner, NC A BRIEF REVIEW OF BUTNER S CHANGES IN STORMWATER REGULATION DUE TO FALLS NUTRIENT STRATEGY AND NPDES PHASE II DESIGNATION

6 Background on Butner Population 7, square miles within the corporate limits Incorporated on November 1, 2007 Total staff of 10 people Town Manager, Clerk, Administrative Assistant, Finance Director, Planning Director, Public Works Director and 5 Public Works staff

7 Timeline November 1, 2007 Town incorporates February Town Manager hired June Planning Director hired August Falls Nutrient Strategy Stakeholder Process Begins October 1, 2008 Land Development Ordinance including USMP effective October 21, 2009 Town notified that it has been designated as NPDES Phase II community February 2010 Town submits NPDES Phase II application January 15, 2011 Falls Nutrient Strategy effective

8 Falls Stakeholder Process Meetings are very time consuming requiring the only planner for the town to be out of the office for half the day at least once a month Small rural town has no stormwater expert or engineer to send to the meetings Town Attorney charges by the hour to attend meetings Important for small rural town to have a voice in the rule making, but staff is at a disadvantage

9 NPDES Phase II Butner designated as a Phase II community in October 2010 Butner opts to hire a consultant to complete the application and stormwater program and create a cost estimate for implementation for the town This regulation will require a considerable increase in staff time increasing the workload of the Planning Director by approximately 50% necessitating hiring additional planning staff in addition to joining the Clean Water Education Partnership which requires annual dues

10 Implementation of new regulations Butner works with other smaller rural local governments to pool resources and share stormwater and administrative services with Creedmoor, Stem, Granville County and Person County Butner adopts a stormwater fee to pay for the estimated $1,375,215 in stormwater related costs from Butner amends Land Development Ordinance to adopt Falls New Development Rule Butner hires another planner (please )

11 Lessons Learned It s important to get experts involved early on such as an attorney or consultant to help advise staff and Council and to influence policy making Cost is the biggest hurdle. There are experts available to help, but it is expensive

12 Our Story Today Stormwater management generally, and Butner s situation History Regulatory drivers, Falls rules Compliance planning beginning to work together Partnership and shared services how? Implementation Next steps defining success

13 Program Planning Beginning to work together What are my interests? What do I need? What do I want? How can I get it? How can I be sure it s worth it? There has to be a champion

14 Our Story Today Stormwater management generally, and Butner s situation History Regulatory drivers, Falls rules Compliance planning beginning to work together Partnership and shared services how? Implementation Next steps defining success

15 Partnership and Shared Services Key goals must be met: Save money by working together Proceed on firm legal footing Maintain local control Two documents: -Ordinance (5) -Interlocal agreements (1) ILA

16 Our Story Today Stormwater management generally, and Butner s situation History Regulatory drivers, Falls rules Compliance planning beginning to work together Partnership and shared services how? Implementation Next steps defining success

17 Implementation Data development Program planning Allocability / cost causation Cost of service Rate structure Rate study Ratemaking db GIS db db db RS MIL Data finalization Go live (July 9 in this case) db db

18 A Few Observations Existing vs. new services - revenue for fee Big ratepayers Drivers for the fee DMMD, Credits for BMPs Mechanics of a fee for smaller jurisdictions Political variability stories (fund balance)

19 Next Steps Defining Success Visibility of program Customer service - $$$ Local control workplans, execution Credits high level of interest, but not developed yet

20 Case Study Rural and Small Town Stormwater Program Development and Funding K e i t h R e a d l i n g, P E R a f t e l i s F i n a n c i a l C o n s u l t a n t s k r e a d l i n r a f t e l i s. c o m M e l i s s a H o d g e s T o w n o f B u t n e r, N C m h o d g e b u t n e r n c. o r g