CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Facing anticipated costs of $5 million over the next five years for stormwater projects, the Clarion Borough Stormwater Authority formally adopted a seven-tier fee system related to the amount of stormwater entering the stormwater system in Clarion Borough on Thursday night, January 24.

(Photos by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography)

The fee for new “utility” charges starts at $3.00 per month and residential property owners are expected to pay an average of $12.00 per month.

“Everybody that uses the stormwater system is going to have to pay into it, and that’s one of the benefits,” explained authority chairman Jason Noto. “People have mentioned the property tax rate and how it falls disproportionately on a small population because of the large amount of tax-exempt property we have. Part of the reason for doing it this way is that this isn’t something that’s going to avoid the university, the school district, the county, or even the borough. It’s going to hit on all of the entities in the borough evenly, and that’s one of the benefits of it.”

“If there were another, better way—we sat here for months talking about it, hammered it out and argued it, and we’ve come up with what we think is the best way. If there’s a better way we would certainly consider it. Other municipalities have done something like this to be able to help meet their needs. This is the fairest best way we can come up with during it.”

The basic fee is $3.00 per month for every 1,000 feet of impervious area (IA) – roofs, sidewalks driveways, patios – any area open to the sky that does not allow water to soak into the ground.

Properties are divided into seven tiers depending on the amount of IA. Areas are rounded to the nearest 100 square feet. Properties with less than 500 square feet of IA pay no fee.

The rates are based on the square footage of impervious surfaces on each property. The ordinance defines the impervious surface as a surface that prevents the infiltration of water into the ground. Impervious surface (or area) includes, but is not limited to roofs, additional indoor living spaces, patios, garages, store sheds, and similar structures, swimming pools, paved parking or driveway areas, and private streets, and sidewalks. Any surface areas initially proposed to be gravel or crushed stone shall be assumed to be impervious areas.

The monthly fee for tiers one through six will be the tier number multiplied by $3.00. The monthly fee for Tier 7 will be the property’s impervious area rounded to the closest hundred square feet divided by 1000 and multiplied by $3.00.

The fee is billed by the quarter, and there is a two percent discount for paying annually.

Tier 0 – less than 500 square feet of IA – no fee.
Tier 1 – between 500 and 1,499 square feet of IA – $3.00 per month, $9.00 per quarter.
Tier 2 – between 1,500 and 2,499 square feet of IA – $6.00 per month, $18.00 per quarter.
Tier 3 – between 2,500 and 3,499 square feet of IA – $9.00 per month, $27.00 per quarter.
Tier 4 – between 3,500 and 4,499 square feet of IA – $12.00 per month, $36.00 per quarter.
Tier 5 – between 4,500 and 5,499 square feet of IA – $15.00 per month, $45.00 per quarter.
Tier 6 – between 5,500 and 6,499 square feet of IA – $18.00 per month, $54.00 per quarter.
Tier 7 – 6,500 square feet of IA and greater – $3.00 for every 1,000 square feet of IA per month and $9.00 for every 1,000 square feet per quarter, rounded to the neared 100 square feet.

Tier 7 will likely apply to large areas of IA such as Clarion University with numerous parking lots and buildings, Clarion County, Clarion Area School District, and Clarion Borough.  Clarion University is not permitted to pay taxes, but it does, as the other tax-exempt properties, pay utilities.

Assessments of properties were done using aerial information, but a map is not now available for public viewing. Most of the assessments have also been completed on an excel spreadsheet. Authorities plan to make the information public in the future.

There will also be opportunities for property owners to apply for credit based on efforts to divert water from entering into the stormwater system. The authority will also hold appeals of assessments.

Voting for the stormwater fees were Noto, Chuck Bartley, Tom Distefano, and Bill Miller.  Voting against the fee rates was Ben Aaron.

There is not a date yet when the bills will start appearing in mailboxes, but bills will include services rendered the previous month.

A special informational public meeting will be held on February 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Street Center.

More information is available at the Clarion Borough Stormwater Authority on Facebook.