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~;~yo, City Council Report
Santa Monicaa
City Council Meeting: July 28, 2009
Agenda Item: ~®'~'
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dean Kubani, Director, Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Subject: Public Hearing and Approval of the Stormwater Parcel Report and
Stormwater Management User Fee for Fiscal Year 2009-10
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the 2009 Stormwater Parcel Reports
pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code, and Stormwater Management User
Fee for Fiscal Year 2009-10.
Executive Summary
Each year, the City of Santa Monica produces two Stormwater parcel fee reports listing
each property and the amount of the Stormwater fees to be paid by each property
owner. This information must be submitted by August 10 of each year to the County of
Los Angeles Tax Assessor so that these fees can be incorporated into the County
parcel tax bill, enabling the City to receive its stormwater fees in the coming fiscal year.
These fees support the City's Urban Runoff Management Program. The Council has
taken this action annually beginning in 1995.
The Stormwater Management User Fee and the Clean Beaches and Oceans Parcel
Tax generate approximately $3.9 million annually, which are critical to the City's
ongoing urban runoff management program and enable the City to meet the many
Federal and State water quality regulations, as well as support the City's. Watershed
Management Plan and the Sustainable City Plan. No budget impacts are associated
with taking this recommended action.
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Background
Stormwater Management User Fee
In July 1995, City Council adopted an ordinance establishing the Stormwater Enterprise
Fund, which includes Stormwater Management User Fee proceeds that fund
stormwater management activities. The Los Angeles County Tax Auditor-Controller's
Office is responsible for the collection of the annual fee, which is then forwarded to the
City.
The stormwater management program consists of (1) periodic upgrades to the storm
drain system, (2) enforcement of local, State and Federal stormwater regulations, such
as the City's Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Ordinance (SMMC 7.10) and the Los
Angeles County National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, (3)
the implementation. of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Plan, and (4) a variety of cost-
effective programs, such as Best Management Practices (BMPs), aimed at reducing the
volume and pollutant load of urban runoff flowing into Santa Monica Bay.
Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax
The Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax (Measure ~ was passed by 6Z% of Santa
Monica voters in November 2006 for the purpose of implementing the City's Watershed
Management Plan (Plan). The goals of the Plan are to reduce urban runoff pollution;
reduce urban flooding; increase water reuse and conservation; increase recreational
opportunities and open space; and increase wildlife and marine habitat. Revenues
generated by Measure V can be used for operations and maintenance costs related to
storm drainage systems, and .multipurpose capital improvement projects that improve
the quality of urban runoff, as well as paying for any indebtedness incurred for these
purposes. The urban runoff management and pollution prevention activities of the Plan
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will assist the City in complying .with the National Pollutant Discharge. Elimination
System (NPDES) permit requirements, meeting the. goals of the Clean Water Act, and
new regulations promulgated by the Los Ahgeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
relating to Total Maximum Daily Loadings.
Discussion
The Stormwater Parcel Reports list all privately-owned parcels with their associated
fees. The City must submit these reports to the Los Angeles County Auditor-
Controller's Office by August 10, 2009, for inclusion on the 2009-10 tax rolls. A public
hearing and Council approval are required prior to submittal for billing. Notification
.regarding a public hearing was published in the Santa Monica Daily Press on July 11,
18 and 25, 2009. The 2009-10 Parcel Report is also available for public review at the
City Clerk's Office and City libraries.
The Stormwater Parcel Reports are based on the most accurate parcel database
available for calculating the number of Parcel Billing Units. (PBU), used for the
Stormwater Enterprise Fund fee, and the Basic Tax (BT), used for the Clean Beaches
and Ocean Fund fee. The number of PBUs and the BTs are calculated based on land
use, runoff factor and parcel size, which are directly proportional to the amount of runoff
generated by a given parcel. The proposed 2009..-10 Stormwater Parcel Fee is $36 per
PBU, which is the same as the current year's rate. The proposed 2009-10 Special Tax
is $87.86 per BT, which is the same rate as the previous year. The initial basic tax was
$84 per BT, however, as per the ordinance it can rise annually by the Consumer Price
Index (CPI). The proposed 2009-10 will have no increase as the CPI did not rise last
fiscal year.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The total revenue estimate from the proposed fees for Fiscal Year 2009-10 is
approximately $1.2 million to the Stormwater Management Fund and $2.7 million to the
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Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax Fund for a total of $3.9 million. The revenues
are included in the Adopted Budget.
Prepared by: Neal Shapiro, Watershed Management Coordinator
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
~,~,~.
Dean Kubani, Director l./ P,Xarrfont Ewell
Office of Sustainability and the i '(Manager
Environment
Attachment: Stormwater Parcel Reports
(A hardcopy of the documents are available for public review ih the City
Clerks' office and all City libraries and can be viewed on the City's
website at www01.smgov.net/cityclerk/council/agendas/ )
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Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax Fund for a total of $3.9 million. The revenues
are included in the Adopted Budget.
Prepared by: Neal Shapiro, Watershed Management Coordinator
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Dean Kubani, Director ~/ P; Ca~ont Ewell
Office of Sustainability and the i anager
Environment
Attachment: Stormwater Parcel Reports
(A hardcopy of the documents are available for public review in the City
Clerks' office and all City libraries)
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Additional documents
available in City Clerk's
Office.