HOLMES BEACH – City property owners may soon see their annual stormwater assessment fee increase by as much as 205%, rising from $2.95 per 100 square feet of property to $4.95 or $9 per 100 square feet.
Stormwater fee revenues are used to maintain and improve the city’s stormwater and drainage systems that help the city recover from heavy rains, high tides and flooding.
At $2.95 per 100 square feet, the owner of a 7,500-square-foot property currently pays a $221 annual stormwater fee. At $4.95, that fee would increase to $371. At $9, it would increase to $675 per year.
At $2.95 per 100 square feet, the owner of a 5,000-square-foot property currently pays a $148 annual stormwater fee. At $4.95, that fee increases to $248. At $9, it increases to $450.
City commissioners expect to vote on the proposed fee increase during their Tuesday, July 22 meeting and public input is sought before and during the meeting that starts at 2 p.m. The city has until the first week of August to notify the property appraiser’s office of a stormwater fee increase.
Public Works Director Sage Kamiya presented the proposed fee increase for preliminary, non-voting discussion during the city commission’s June 24 work session.
Kamiya said five extremely heavy rain and flooding events occurred during the second half of 2024 alone, including Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, and his presentation included a once in every 25 years/24-hour rain event floodplain map in which most of the city was highlighted in blue.
“Currently, if we get that kind of rain event, everything in blue is covered in water,” he said.
Kamiya said the city spends about $300,000 a year maintaining the stormwater system that currently includes about 4 miles of vertical infiltration trenches, 10 miles of drainage pipes, drainage ditches and swales, WaStop check valves and more. He said the infiltration trenches are designed primarily to clean and filter the water before it’s discharged into the surrounding natural waters, but the trenches held reduce flooding, too.
Kamiya said drainage and flooding complaints have increased in recent years and the city needs to do more to address those concerns.
He also mentioned sea level rise and rising tides: “We know sea level is rising, the tides are getting higher and they’re getting more frequent. All of these projects don’t necessarily solve that, but all these projects have a component that can help that.”
Mayor Judy Titsworth said stormwater and drainage improvements help protect property values.
Projected expenses
Kamiya’s presentation included a detailed breakdown of the $21.9 million for proposed stormwater maintenance and improvement projects he believes are needed during the next five years. He said without a rate increase, some improvements might be discarded or spread out over a much longer period. He said even at the $9 rate, the city might still be a couple million dollars “in the red” after five years if all those projects are pursued.
Kamiya said his $21.9 million estimate assumes about half of those costs being covered by matching grants. Some grants require a 20-30% match from the city, many require a 50% match and grant funds do not cover maintenance costs.
According to Kamiya, the city currently has about $1.86 million available for stormwater-related expenses and maintaining the $2.95 fee would generate $850,000 in stormwater fees during the 2025-26 fiscal year. The $4.95 rate would generate $1.4 million and the $9 rate would generate $2.59 million.
According to Kamiya, the average stormwater fee is currently $195. A $4.95 fee would result in a $296 average fee and a $103 average increase. A $9 fee would result in a $506 average fee and a $314 average increase.
Commission Terry Schaefer said the stormwater fee on his latest property tax bill was $331, which he noted was only a small fraction of his total tax bill.
“In my opinion, we ought to go to the max ($9) right now because the needs are not going to be any less and further storms are going to create greater problems,” he said.
According to the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office, Schaefer’s property is 11,238 square feet. At the $9 assessment rate, his stormwater fee would increase by $680 to $1,011.
Regarding the political implications of a fee increase, Schaefer said, “I can’t think of a better time to present to our constituents the need to do this. I think everyone who’s been here for the last year realizes the importance of stormwater abatement and the city doing everything it can.”
Commissioner Steve Oelfke noted the city’s stormwater management efforts and improvements provide property owners with a flood insurance discount that will increase to 25% on Oct. 1 due to the city’s upgraded Community Rating System rating. He also noted the public works department is trying to repair or replace drainage components that have been ignored for 10 or 20 years.
Commissioner Dan Diggins said most of the calls he receives from residents and property owners pertain to stormwater, drainage and flooding.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore suggested the city launch a publicity campaign to make property owners aware of the potential fee increase. Titsworth said the city will follow the same public noticing requirements used for the annual budget process and it’s up to the residents and property owners to make themselves aware of what’s happening in their city. That said, the mayor and commissioners do want to hear from residents and property owners about the proposed rate increase before or during the July 22 meeting and their email addresses are available at the city website, www.holmesbeachfl.org.
After the meeting, Kamiya said he supports the $9 rate.
Other Island cities
A few years ago, the Anna Maria City Commission raised that city’s stormwater assessment fee from $1 per 100 square feet to $2 per 100 square feet. When contacted last week, City Treasurer LeAnne Addy said the $2 rate remains in effect but the mayor and commissioners will discuss raising it during their upcoming budget sessions. At $2, the owner of a 7,500-square-foot property pays a $150 annual stormwater fee.
Bradenton Beach City Treasurer Shayne Thompson said the city is considering switching to a per-hundred-square-feet stormwater fee calculation formula and away from the current variable-based formula devised by the city’s previous stormwater engineer.
According to the property appraiser’s office, the 2024 stormwater fee for a 7,500 square foot residential property on Fifth Street South was $330.
