HT readers: Neighborhoods need relief from flooding

Nov. 13--Rains that flooded area neighborhoods this year prompted the Herald-Tribune to ask readers whether they think a stormwater utility fee is a fair way for local jurisdictions to pay for drainage work and maintenance.

Sarasota County, for example, adds such a fee to annual property tax bills -- about $90.65 for a typical single-family home. Other local governments, such as the cities of Bradenton and Palmetto, put their fee on monthly water, sewer and garbage collection bills.

Manatee County does neither. Without a dedicated source of funding, that county dips into its solid waste fund to pay for stormwater work and admits it is woefully behind in correcting neighborhood flooding.

Several readers responded that a separate fee just for drainage work is justified and that Manatee should enact one. Others question why such work is not done with the taxes they already pay.

As a resident, former county commissioner and former state legislator, "I have to say that the Sarasota County stormwater utility and its fees have saved tens of millions of dollars in potential flood damage," Ray Pilon wrote -- citing the Celery Fields and Phillippi Creek projects, in particular. "Fees should be charged in Manatee to those that benefit and could include a countywide assessment, if needed based on a determined benefit to all savings calculated from prevention of future losses. Grants and appropriations from the state Legislature should also be explored since the state would also benefit as a whole from prevented losses."

The Rev. Larry Smith of Bradenton wrote that the website for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which levies property taxes, states that it was initially established in 1961 as "a flood protection agency" and that $10.7 million of its $183.7 million budget is to reduce "'flood risk and protect our citizens.' .... So taxpayers are already paying for flood protection. Yes? ... So if the SWFWMD millage tax is charged to all Manatee County taxpayers, then adding another tax from the county is a double tax for the same thing? Is that what Sarasota County is doing?"

Judy Florey stated that 10 homes in her neighborhood in southeast Manatee, Fairway Bend, flooded during the "no name storm in August."

"We were flooded without warning," she noted. "It appears that drainage has not been properly maintained to get the water away from developments and flowing to the Braden River. Our culverts were filled and the retention ponds overflowed as water tried to make its way to the river. Fees should be raised to properly maintain drainage areas and provide new wetlands to absorb an overflow of water. No one wants to pay more fees or taxes, but you can't continue to grow and provide the services without the money."

'Very small price to pay'

Kelli Wayne resides in Centre Lake, a south Manatee neighborhood that also flooded in August and caused $80,000 in damage when 10 to 12 inches of water came into her home.

"Yes, we have flood insurance thankfully, but some additional money each year on my tax bill is a very small price to pay for my safety in my own home and the hope this devastation never happens again on a summer rainy night," Wayne wrote. "It only takes one clogged drain to cause this tragedy, and all Manatee County residents are at risk if we do not have dedicated money to keep our drains and ditches cleaned out."

Larry Luh, a former resident of Centre Lake, said that neighborhood flooded in 1988 and 1992. "These are 20 years plus ago and the same problems are still occurring. Stormwater fees either with yearly tax bill or monthly utility bill should occur."

"I think the county should enact a stormwater fee that can only be used to alleviate existing flooding problems," wrote Robert Bennett, a south Manatee resident. "No one neighborhood should have to shoulder this burden, as the problems are a function of multiple developments and not just the ones currently flooding. ...

"Proposed new development should be evaluated not only in terms of the need for on-site retention but for its potential for adding to the problem. ... Incremental additions of flood waters may be the proverbial 'straw that broke the camel's back' in a given runoff area."

The county "may want to consider developer incentives for providing additional stormwater retention that helps to alleviate current flooding problems," Bennett suggested. Regardless, "the fee is necessary, no matter what development policies are adopted."

"I believe the developers need to develop infrastructure (roads and water, sewers, drainage) as they add new developments," Pamela Fulton of Ellenton stated. "They are making millions and not helping the problems of stormwater and traffic but are making things worse. Developers need to be accountable if they want to build here. In the areas that are older and have problems, then, yes, perhaps a temporary levy should be placed on those neighborhoods -- similar to when water-sewer lines are installed."

'The new reality of rainfall'

"Developers are contributing to flooding by being allowed to provide retention to an inadequate standard," John LiMarzi of south Manatee wrote. "That should be stopped immediately. The new developments should be held to a higher standard that reflects the new reality of rainfall, not older ones."

LiMarzi asked whether "a small levy" paid by "all citizens to adequately fund our needs is better than separate fees for everything? That punishes citizens for the fact that their government did inadequate planning. Better for officials to consider real needs of the area and pass a budget that reflects those needs. That is what a real fiscal conservative would do, not just cut taxes regardless of real needs. If people want to lower the taxes, let them vote on what services they would like to cut."

"Is a stormwater utility fee a fair way to pay for drainage maintenance and improvements?" Jack Merriam, who resides in the south Manatee neighborhood of Ballentine Manor, asked. "Yes!"

Merriam thinks the fee should be based on "the amount of impervious surface" and that property owners with "pervious paving, rain gardens, bioswales, cisterns or 'green roofs' to reduce and treat their runoff on site" should have a lower assessment.

Gregory Rouse, whose home near Ward Lake recently flooded, does not want Manatee County to approve any more development in that drainage basin without addressing the stormwater problem.

"I am all in favor of a fee either by direct assessment by taxing district to the benefitting neighborhood or a general tax assessment fee," Rouse stated. "My concern is that a general assessment would only be used to benefit developers and not the general public. A list of projects needs to be developed to ensure money would be spent on helping those that are already victims of flooding."

David Potenza resides near Bowlees Creek in south Manatee, which overflowed during the August storm. Water on the street "was up to my knees," he noted. "The storm drains discharge directly to the bay; however, they are too small to carry the volume of water we receive. The correction would require a second and larger pipe system to be installed in our street and possibly our neighborhood."

Potenza would be willing to pay an additional $7.50 on his monthly utility bill (about what a typical Sarasota County homeowner would pay if that jurisdiction preferred that billing approach) if the money went toward solving his neighborhood's drainage woes.

"Whatever happened to 'impact fees'?" Steve Warren of south Manatee asked. "I put them in quotes because it may be a fairy tale, but I've heard that, once upon a time, developers were charged for infrastructure needs caused by their paving over every bit of land they could get their bulldozers on. What better example of cause and effect is there than flooded streets where stormwater has no place to escape?

"And yet when I read about impact fees today, it's usually in the context of a developer having them waived because they'd rather spend their money on 'campaign contributions' to keep the politicians on their side. Let the homeowners and other taxpayers cover the costs while the developers increase their profits."

Manatee resident Sharlya Gold stated she would "favor an equitable fee paid by all. (Hurricane) Irma's kin will be back some day, and we will be better prepared before and after the devastation they will bring."

Whitfield area resident Norm Luppino noted that some recently flooded neighborhoods are within Manatee's Southwest Tax Increment Finance District, where a portion of the collected property taxes are to be invested back into the area.

"It really doesn't matter where the money comes from" for stormwater projects, Luppino stated. "What matters is that it gets addressed. When the University Parkway I-75 intersection failed due to too much traffic, $70 million was spent to retrofit it. Now it's time to retrofit the county's failed drainage systems. Efficiently moving water, like efficiently moving traffic, is essential to the health and quality of life for our residents."

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