Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 03/02/2015

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Updated Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) City of Ramsey, Minnesota each program that lists the projects eligible to apply for loans. A written request must typically be submitted to the PFA by June to request placement on the IUP. The City must request placement on the Intended Use Plan acceptance for PFA funding. B. Local Financing Options 1. Development Charges or Trunk Fees (According to City of Ramsey Code Section 4.50.03, trunk storm sewer cost shall be assessed on an area basis as determined by City resolution. Total lateral cost is assessed to a development on an area basis. In lieu of paying a future charge, developers may, before a final plan is signed, agree to pay the City the storm drainage improvement charge established by Council resolution. The charge shall be based upon the number of total gross square feet in the plat. The developer shall be given a credit of over -sizing storm improvements in the plat. The charges collected shall be deposited in a special storm drainage improvement fund and shall only be used to pay for storm drainage financing and improvements. Maintenance of the storm sewer system is paid for through current revenue generated from the Storm Water Utility Fund. Since the recommended additional costs are predominantly associated with continued new development, it is presumed to be fair and equitable to have the developers pay for their impacts. Hence, the continued use of a storm water area development charge (or trunk fee), based on the cost of rectifying the downstream impact associated with the development is recommended. In Ramsey's case, it may be more prudent to calculate the development charge based on the area of new impervious surface created and the amount of compensatory mitigation through infiltration efforts. If an impervious area charge is considered over a blanket development area charge, the City should carefully weigh the desired appearance of new developments against the natural tendency of developers to devise improvements that have the least cost. Low impact development should be considered, but the need to incorporate safety, snow storage and emergency vehicle access must also be factored into the development. 2. Increased Storm Water Utility Fees According to City of Ramsey Code Section 48058-194 the City may impose just and reasonable charges for the use and availability of storm sewer facilities. Rates and charges for the use and availability of the system shall be determined through the use of a Residential Equivalent Factor ("REF"). For the purposes of the Ramsey City Code, one REF is defined as the ratio of the average volume of surface water runoff coming from one acre of land and subjected to a particular use, to the average volume of runoff coming from one acre of land subjected to typical single-family residential use within the City during a standard five-year rainfall event. Rates and charges for the use and availability of the system shall be determined through the use of a Residential Equivalent Unit ("REU"). For the purposes of the Ramsey City Code, one REU is defined as the product of the acreage of a particular parcel multiplied by the REF. The REF shall be based on the relative runoff generated by any land use compared to the expected runoff from a typical half -acre single-family dwelling. This relationship shall be Section VII February 20, 2015March 6, 2015 Page 55 Com m ented [ LL2]: Meeting with Joe Langel Next week This section of Code did not get included in Municode.