2023-05-11-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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05/11/2023 AC Minutes 3 Mr. Padaki asked if there would be a reduction in property taxes to account for the shift in payments for stormwater costs from the tax levy to stormwater fees. Ms. Kosnoff replied that the Select Board proposed an operating underride for fiscal year when the Stormwater Utility was launched. This would permanently reduce the tax levy by the amount of the fees used to cover operating expenses for the Stormwater Utility, but would not cover capital expenses. Mr. Levine asked where the phosphorus in stormwater runoff originates. Ms. Scerbo replied that phosphorus is present in all organic matter. Runoff sources include fertilizers, but also loose surface soil and decaying organic matter, especially pine needles and leaf litter on streets, as well as pet waste and illicit discharges of wastewater. In general, more urbanization results in more phosphorus runoff due to the tendency for water to leave the area rather than soaking into the ground. Mr. Levine asked what types of surfaces were counted as impervious areas. Ms. Conchilla replied that this includes rooftops, driveways, compacted gravel, and areas like swimming pools, but that loosely packed landscaping gravel and pervious stone decks are not included. Mr. Osborne stated that an important assumption in the rate and credits structure is that the fees should encourage property owners to make changes to reduce their runoff. Mr. Livsey agreed, but noted that the largest impact would likely follow from choices made during future construction. Mr. Osborne asked if the public would be encouraged to reduce their stormwater fee by adding “green infrastructure” to their property. Mr. Livsey replied that the credit system was still undetermined, but that credits were unlikely to justify major investments in controlling stormwater runoff for most homeowners, but it could be a factor for large commercial sites. Mr. Osborne asked about the benefit to taxpayers from shifting to a Stormwater Utility. Ms. Kos- noff replied that if the costs for stormwater grow faster than the tax levy, then stormwater expenses will crowd out other budget items. By imposing a fee based on actual costs using a Stormwater Util- ity, services funded in the operating budget will be protected. There is also an equity issue in that taxpayers currently pay for stormwater expenses without regard to the size of their own property, and tax-exempt organizations, some with large impervious areas, do not contribute to the tax levy. Mr. Ahuja asked how quickly the Town could detect defective wastewater pipes that create illicit discharges into the stormwater system. Mr. Livsey said it was a difficult question because they only know when defects are discovered, but not how long they existed prior to discovery. The Town rou- tinely tests stormwater outfalls, which can help detect upstream contamination, but this is not spe- cific to individual properties. The Town performs other inspections to find and repair leaks in major wastewater lines. Mr. Parker asked for an explanation of why a tiered fee structure was preferable to a simple per- ERU charge for all properties, noting that the size ranges of impervious areas in each tier were large enough that houses with fairly large differences would be paying the same fee. Ms. Kosnoff noted that measurements of impervious area on properties will vary over time, and the Town wanted to avoid the overhead of frequent updates to the database. Ms. Conchilla added that the impervious area measurements are not very precise, so using tiers allows the Town to avoid challenges to stormwater fees arising from minor discrepancies in the database. Mr. Parker asked how the Stormwater Utility would be able to collect sufficient revenue while of- fering rebates to owners. Ms. Conchilla replied that an estimate for rebates was built into the fee model, and could be adjusted from year to year. Mr. Parker asked about his personal experience building a large home where he faced a legal man- date to capture all stormwater runoff using dry wells. Mr. Livsey replied that this mandate only