West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee (SPF) Overview Chester - PDF document

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee (SPF) Overview Chester County Engineers’ Fall Conference – November 2016 Outline  Stormwater Runoff – Why is it a problem in West Chester?  How are we going to address it?  What is the current status of the SPF Program? 2 Presented by CH2M 1

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 Stormwater Runoff – Why is it a problem?  Pollutants from the Borough affect our local Oils & other pollutants accumulate streams and wash into streams – Goose Creek – Taylor Run – Blackhorse Run – Plum Creek  Excessive amounts of runoff impact our health, safety, and welfare – Flooding Flooding on S. Matlack Street – Stream bank erosion  Strains our historic infrastructure – Pipes, inlets, and other stormwater infrastructure require inspections, cleaning, and rehabilitation and replacement Old pipes require cleaning & rehabilitation 3 Impervious surfaces generate excess runoff that washes pollution into nearby storm inlets which usually outfall directly to our streams Flooding along S. Matlack Street Our inlets and culverts require Oils and other pollutants accumulate frequent cleaning to remain effective and wash off our impervious surfaces 4 Presented by CH2M 2

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 All of our local streams are “Impaired” (red on the map) Clean Water Act mandate: comply with a stormwater (“MS4”) permit issued by the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) that requires us to reduce pollution West Chester sits at the top of 4 in all of the watersheds so the streams can watersheds and our runoff impacts become fishable and swimmable everything downstream Severely eroded stream banks 5 on Goose Creek and Plum Run Regulatory: Municipal Separate Stormwater System (MS4) Requirements  Required to prepare application for updated PAG ‐ 13 Stormwater MS4 Permit – requires TMDL Plan (for Goose Creek) and Pollutant Reduction Plan (for all other streams) with a TBD due date  TMDL Implementation Plan (rev) submitted in 2015 6 Presented by CH2M 3

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 Infrastructure Needs: West Chester’s stormwater infrastructure, built in the early 1900’s, and our streams, need repair and maintenance Base 5 ‐ year CIP Items Estimated Cost  Cost of providing municipal services is Equipment Replace 1997 Sewer Jet, 44 ‐ 30 (30% for SW) $36,000 increasing faster than revenue in General Fund Replace Street Sweeper 44 ‐ 40 $210,000 Pipes Replace Pine Alley Brick Sewer $195,000 Replace N. High St. (Virginia ‐ Ashbridge) $150,000 Replace West Union St. (Darlington ‐ New) $250,000 Reline New St. (Union ‐ Holly Alley) $75,000 Replace Wollerton Alley (New ‐ Darlington) $90,000 Reline W. Washington (Hannum ‐ New) $160,000 Replace Hoopes Alley (Everhard ‐ Outfall) $115,000 Reline N. High St. (Chestnut to Washington) $218,750 Stream Improvements E. Barnard St. Culvert Replacement $250,000 Franklin at Linden Culvert Replacement $290,000 Plum Run (College ‐ Bradford) $687,500 Goose Creek (Franklin ‐ Nields) $375,000 TOTAL (nearest $1,000) $3,102,000 7 How can we address the problems and regulatory requirements related to stormwater?  Develop a rigorous stormwater program – Repair and rehabilitation projects – Regulatory compliance activities – Community improvements  Urban Forestry Bioswale in curb extension  Integrated infrastructure (e.g., drainage also provides traffic calming and ADA improvements improvements integrated with road work)  Green infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens, stormwater tree trenches, vegetated roofs)  Stream restoration – Flood reduction projects  This requires a dedicated, long ‐ term funding mechanism Green Alley with permeable pavers 8 Presented by CH2M 4

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 Stormwater Runoff – How should the Borough address it?  Stormwater Assessment Advisory Committee (SWAAC) was formed in 2013 to recommend to Borough Council how to address the problem & fund it  Included representatives from:  Residential  Business  Institutions (Chester County Hospital)  Non ‐ Profits (Church)  West Chester University  Chester County  Borough Council and Staff Met 7 times between July 2013 and October 2015 on The SWAAC : funding options and policy issues The SWAAC made recommendations on 6 policy areas:  What program components should be funded? – What level of service should be provided for each component?  How should the program be funded ?  Should there be exemptions for any types of properties/institutions?  Should a credit program be established for properties?  What billing method should be used?  Should appeals be permitted? 10 Presented by CH2M 5

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 studied the funding details The SWAAC :  Program Administration  Master Plan / Stormwater Plan  Inspection and Maintenance  Capital Improvement Plan (engineering, design, construction) – Stormwater BMPs – Street Sweeping  Public Education on Stormwater – Inlet / Catch Basin cleaning Management – Storm Drains  Data Management – GIS System, and recommended a revised  MS ‐ 4 permit and TMDL compliance Computerized Maintenance Management medium “level of service” System (CMMS) Level of Service Cost Estimate Summary Estimated Average Annual Costs (million) Medium Medium Low (revised) (original) High Total Operating and Capital $1.0 $1.3 $1.5 $2.0 Not expected to meet permit requirements User rates too high 11 recommended a program to fund capital improvement The SWAAC : plan (CIP) projects and operations & maintenance 12 Presented by CH2M 6

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 was convened to evaluate fair, sustainable, and The SWAAC : equitable ways to fund the Borough’s stormwater program Options for funding program: 1. Increase property taxes Residential Parcel Nonresidential Parcel 2. Raise sewer bills 3. Implement a stormwater fee based on runoff Building Area Parking Other Impervious Area Stormwater runoff is approximated by impervious area (rooftop and paved surfaces) where rain runs off, rather than soaking into the ground 13 recommends a stormwater fee based on impervious The SWAAC : area as the most equitable approach Number of Properties Impervious Area Railroad Government 0.15% 1.65% Industrial Apartment Institutional 0.35% Industrial 3.43% Railroad Utility 1.90% Utility 3.24% 0.28% 0.12% 0.05% Apartment 9.20% Commercial Government 12.98% 13.09% Institutional 6.44% Increasing property taxes or sewer bills is not fair because they are Residential not directly linked to how much stormwater a property generates 40.23% Commercial Residential 27.39% 79.49% 14 Presented by CH2M 7

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 West Chester Borough is not alone in looking at a stormwater fee: municipalities across the country are increasingly relying on them  Over 1,600 stormwater utilities exist across the country*  In PA, 7 are collecting (up from 3 in 2013):  Philadelphia, Lancaster, Meadville, Mount Lebanon, and Radnor are collecting revenues  A lot of local interest from neighboring municipalities (West Goshen, Upper Uwchlan, Pottstown)  West Chester invited to present at prominent 2015 Villanova Stormwater Conference 16 Six “tiers” based on amount of impervious area. SWMAAC Recommendation A property’s tier determines the monthly charge. Amount of Square Feet Percent of Tier of Impervious Area Total Accounts Tier 1 >0 and <=1,000 sf 18% Tier 6 (>3,000 sf) Tier 2 >1,000 and <=1,500 sf 17% $3.35 Tier 3 >1,500 and <=2,000 sf 16% >$20.10 Tier 4 >2,000 and <=2,500 sf 14% Tier 1 (>0 and <=1,000 sf) Tier 5 >2,500 and <=3,000 sf 9% Tier 6 >3,000 sf 26% • All properties are distributed into Tier 2 (>1,000 and <=1,500 sf) Tier 5 (>2,500 and <=3,000 sf) $8.38 one of six tiers • Each Tier is charged based on the $18.43 recommended monthly fee of Tier 4 (>2,000 and <=2,500 sf) $6.70/1,000 ft2 of Impervious Area Tier 3 (>1,500 and <=2,000 sf) $15.08 • Median Monthly Fee: $11.73 • Residential: $11.73 • Commercial: $25.87 17 Presented by CH2M 8

West Chester Borough Stream Protection Fee 11/17/2016 Comparison of Charges (across LOS scenarios) : Tier 3 – Detached Residential Tier 3 – Residential – DETACHED SINGLE $25 $20/mo TAX $20.23 $20 $18.50 Monthly Charge for Stormwater $12/mo FEE $15 $11.73 $9.26 $10 $5 $0 Low LOS Medium LOS (revised) High LOS Dedicate Property Tax to Stormwater Charge* Stormwater Charge* Stormwater Charge* fund Medium LOS** * Assumed Rate Structure Option 1 ** Assumes millage rate dedicated to stormwater of 2.05 per 1,000. Based on average assessed value for Tier 3 residential properties Tier 3 1,500 ‐ 2,000 SF Residential Landuse (Detached) total Parcel Area, SF 7,270 Impervious Area, SF 1,733 18 Comparison of Typical Monthly Utility Charges to Proposed Stormwater Fee* *This actual 2013 example from a tier 4 residence in the Borough is meant for illustrative purposes only as utility charges will vary property to property Presented by CH2M 9