[Mpls] Sewer Units (aka Storm Water Concerns)

[ABerget at aol.com]

Okay, here's the short version of my report-back on my conversation with  
John McLean about the stormwater cleanup fee: 
 
I talked with John McLean, the Sewer Unit/Storm Water point man,  this  
morning at length. McLean is obviously a smart, knowledgeable and courteous man.  
He speaks knowledgeably about the fee, the methodology, and the choices that  
were involved in the fee deliberations. The conversation was informative to me. 
 I know many new things about city property, including that there now are  
approx. 75,000 single family residences in Minneapolis, that the average  
impermeable area of a residential property, based on a survey of 200+  randomly 
selected properties,  is 1530 sq. ft., and that the max. rate for  this new 
stormwater fee is assessed on properties believed to have 1578 sq. ft.  of 
impermeable surface area regardless of the size of the property, and that the  City 
hurried to adopt this strategy for raising $30M in order to avoid a  lawsuit. 
 
All this is good and factual, but in my opinion, it altogether lacks a  
Fairness Factor. It's not too hard to figure out that this broad-brush fee  
assessment places the greatest proportional burden on "average" properties.  There is 
no progressivity beyond the 1578 sq. ft. measure. Thus, 11,000 sq. ft.  
multimillion dollar "Gold Coast" residences with 75+% of their available area  
paved or covered with structures - and across the street from the Mississippi  
River for runoff purposes - pays the same $10.60 fee that I do for my R1A lot  
with no driveway or garage 8 blocks from Lake Harriet. 
 
Gimme a break, folks. It doesn't take a degree in hydrology to figure out  
which property has more runoff - or who's in a better position to help pay for  
cleaning things up.
 
It's ironic that if the City had chosen to resolve the dispute by being  sued 
- and then lost - the $30M would be paid more equitably through the  property 
tax structure which is at least a bit more progressive than the  Stormwater 
model.
 
Yes, we can appeal our rate assignments, but that does nothing to  change the 
fact that all supersize residential properties benefit at the expense  of all 
properties that are average or less.
 
Almost makes me sorry that I asked.
 
Ann Berget
Kingfield 8-6