LIST: Fees to remedy stormwater problems set to resume in July. 3 things to know in our latest #StormwaterProgram update

Since being authorized last September, the Sewer District has been preparing for a July 2016 restart of assessing regional stormwater management program fees. 

An informational postcard will be mailed to customers this summer to remind them of the upcoming charges, explain how the fee is assessed and spent, and promote opportunities for credits by managing stormwater on their property. Besides the comprehensive FAQ we have available, here are 3 of the latest things to know.

1. The program's plans aim to address stormwater problems

Solving stormwater problems (flooding, erosion, pollution) can be difficult, since runoff from hard surfaces in one community drains into another. A Stormwater Management Program provides a regional approach to these problems. The Sewer District’s Regional Stormwater Management Program addresses flooding, erosion, and pollution problems by:

• building projects,
• maintaining streams and large pipes that carry stormwater,
• addressing regional drainage problems,
• providing technical expertise to communities, and
• developing green space.

2. The fee is assessed based on impervious surface.

The more impervious surfaces—parking lots, rooftops, and driveways—on your property, the greater your stormwater fee. Visit our online FeeFinder neorsd.org/FindMyFee to determine your stormwater fee.

Residential properties

The fee is based on an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) equal to 3,000 sq. ft. of impervious surface, such as roof and driveway. The rate for one (1) ERU is $5.15 per month. Residences are placed in one of three categories:

• Tier 1 (less than 2,000 sq. ft. impervious surface)
• Tier 2 (2,000 to 4,000 sq. ft.)
• Tier 3 (more than 4,000 sq. ft.)

For 2016, a Tier 1 house pays $3.09 per month, a Tier 2 house pays $5.15, and a Tier 3 house pays $9.27.

Non-residential properties

A non-residential property is billed on the total number of ERUs of impervious surface it has. Visit our online FeeFinder to determine what you will be charged: neorsd.org/FindMyFee


3. You have opportunities to reduce your stormwater fee.

Customers can receive a fee reduction—known as a fee credit—if they take measures to manage stormwater flowing from their properties. (Examples include rain barrels, rain gardens, and cisterns.) You can learn more about these credits and educational resources at neorsd.org/stormwater or contact a Watershed Team Leader for details about opportunities on your property.

Contact us

If you have stormwater fee questions, check out our FAQ, or you can reach us in several ways:

• Twitter @neorsd #StormwaterProgram 
• Facebook
• Ask our Customer Service staff
• Call (216) 881-8247
• Visit one of our traveling Roadshow events this summer coming to a community near you

FAQ: 38 questions and answers about our #StormwaterProgram, next steps, fees, and more

Since the September 15 Ohio Supreme Court ruling, we have already begun responding to common questions about the program restart, fees, credits, cost-sharing, and more. We revisited some of the questions that existed prior to the program's suspension in 2013 and added a few we've started answering in recent days.

Updated September 25, 2015 / March 31, 2016

Background and basics: About the program

Why is regional stormwater management necessary?
Stormwater-related problems must be addressed regionally because what happens in one community can affect another. Often one community addresses a problem and may inadvertently move that problem downstream to the next community. Managing stormwater flows is necessary to protect our natural resources, reduce streambank erosion and decrease the pollutants in streams and rivers. If these issues are not addressed today, the problems will continue to get worse and will be more costly to solve in the future.

STORMWATER: Houses of the holey? Pervious pavement, other options might be right for your home.

When it comes to reducing runoff, you might want to consider a hole new direction.

Customers in our service area are getting their first look at their property's stormwater charges, and we've received many calls from customers wondering how they can reduce their fees.

It all comes down to reducing stormwater runoff on your property. And if you are looking to make property improvements this spring, stormwater-control measures—rain barrels, rain gardens, filter strips, or reduction of impervious surface—may be worth considering. Today's topic: Pervious pavement.

Pervious pavements are designed to allow percolation or infiltration of stormwater through tiny holes or separations in the surface into the soil below where the water is naturally filtered and pollutants are removed.

Why consider it? Because our program fee is based on the area of impervious surface on a customer's property (hard surfaces contribute to regional stream problems associated with runoff), replacing impervious surface with pervious surface reduces runoff as a means of managing stormwater. The credit can help you reduce your fee and save you money in the long run.

STORMWATER: Top 3 "Hey, you forgot this!" credit app errors

As stormwater fee credit applications continue to flow in, we've noticed a few areas where customers have overlooked requirements in order for us to process their applications properly.

If you are submitting a credit application, don't miss these three most common oversights:

NEWS: Rate changes, cost-saving options to keep in mind for 2013

The news on this December 31, 2012 is focused mainly on the fiscal cliff. Whatever Congress decides tonight, it won't have any impact on the sewer rate changes that go into effect in 2013.

The second year of our five-year rate schedule kicks off tomorrow, January 1. The table above is taken from our website and it includes all the relevant links to the affordability program, other cost-saving programs and eligibility criteria, and more.

These changes do not reflect the new regional stormwater management program fees or credit opportunities that begin January 1, 2013. Sewer rate increases in this five-year schedule fund large-scale projects like those included in our 25-year program Project Clean Lake, plus other essential improvements and ongoing maintenance and operation costs.

If you have questions about these rates, or our 2013 stormwater fees, you can email us or tweet us @neorsd or @wallywaterdrop

STORMWATER: Monthly workshops will begin Dec. 10 as opportunity to learn more about program, options

Monthly informational workshops to offer in-person assistance to customers; billing for Regional Stormwater Management Program will begin in January

Beginning December 10, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will conduct regularly scheduled informational workshops for its Regional Stormwater Management Program.

At these informal workshops, residents and business owners will learn more about this regional program. In addition, Sewer District representatives will help customers complete credit applications and explain how impervious area is measured and how fees are calculated using these impervious measurements. Although billing for the program begins January 2013, detailed planning for early-stage projects is already underway.

STORMWATER: How to apply for credits, and where to find the help you need

A customer named Theresa recently asked our Facebook page if we're planning meetings to discuss stormwater program credit opportunities. The answer is Yes.

Starting next month, we will hold monthly evening meetings at our Administration Building for customers who may need assistance applying for credits, or for anyone with questions about the program. We will also present local sessions if a community requests them.

Theresa also mentioned our fee credit manual. If it's tough flipping through the 60+ page full manual to see what opportunities are best for you, consider starting with the abbreviated Residential overview available as a download here under "Ways to save." http://neorsd.org/stormwater

STORMWATER: Workshops for large non-res property owners coming next month

It’s in the mail. Beginning September 21, we will provide large non-residential property owners with Regional Stormwater Management Program fee estimates.

This month, more than 2,500 large property owners will receive stormwater fee estimates and an invitation to a credit workshop.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will begin billing for the Regional Stormwater Management Program in January 2013. Beginning September 21, 2012, the Sewer District will mail letters to large non-residential property owners with impervious (hard) surface area measuring 99,000 or more square feet (33 ERUs, or "Equivalent Residential Unit").

STORMWATER: Two things customers should know about the fee that starts Jan. 1, 2013

The Sewer District's Regional Stormwater Management Program is preparing to collect fees starting January 1, 2013.

In preparation for these billing changes for customers, there are two important things to keep in mind:

First, our stormwater-management efforts are not new; and second, we are dedicated to effectively communicating the details of this program, its fees, and related projects over the next three months.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT:
 The fee is new, the work isn’t.

"This program is already happening," said Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Executive Director Julius Ciaccia to Trustees at Thursday's Board meeting regarding stream maintenance, regional planning, and community outreach the District has been conducting for years. "What hasn't happened yet is the fee."

STORMWATER: Program gets the green light, will begin January 2013

The Sewer District's regional stormwater management program has the green light.

On Thursday, Judge Thomas J. Pokorny issued a final ruling on the Sewer District's regional program to tackle Northeast Ohio’s flooding, erosion, and water quality problems.

The Sewer District will formally implement the Regional Stormwater Management Program in January 2013 and detailed planning for early-stage projects is already underway. The Regional Stormwater Management Program will address flooding, streambank erosion and water quality issues throughout much of Northeast Ohio.

NEWS: Appellate Court rejects stormwater-program opposition's second round of appeals

The Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth Appellate District, with jurisdiction over Cuyahoga County, today rejected a second round of appeals from groups opposing the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s Stormwater Management Program. The initial appeals were dismissed March 30.

Appeals for Reconsideration were filed by both communities opposing the regional program—Beachwood, Bedford Heights, Brecksville, Cleveland Heights, Glenwillow, Independence, Lyndhurst, North Royalton, Oakwood, Olmsted Falls and Strongsville—as well as Berns, Ockner & Greenberger, LLC, a Beachwood-based law firm representing land developers.

“These appeals were premature and the Court agreed with us,” said Executive Director Julius Ciaccia. “Given the Court’s repeated affirmation of our authority to implement this program, we are eager to move forward with our plans.”

STORMWATER: Court rules program can move forward, charge fee for services

On February 15, 2012, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas J. Pokorny issued an opinion in the case of Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District vs. Bath Township, Ohio, et al. (CV-10-714945).

This is the second ruling from Judge Pokorny reaffirming the Sewer District’s authority to implement a regional Stormwater Management Program; the first ruling occurred in April 2011.

The February 15 ruling includes the following:

• The Sewer District’s Stormwater Management Program fee is authorized under Chapter 6119 of the Ohio Revised Code; the charges proposed are ruled a fee—and not a tax—as the Defendants argued,
• Defendants’ Motion for Permanent Injunction was denied, and
• Judge Pokorny determined that the City of Hudson is a member of the Sewer District.

[Download Judge Thomas J. Pokorny's opinion]

STORMWATER: New round of proposed changes open for comment

Following its recent 30-day public comment period, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is proposing additional changes to Title V, the section of the District's code addressing the Regional Stormwater Management Program, and is also proposing modifications to the related Stormwater Fee Credit Policy Manual. Both documents have been posted for a new 30-day public comment period. All comments must be received by October 3, 2011. Read the full release.

District proposes changes to stormwater code as required by recent court ruling

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is proposing modifications to Title V, the section of the District’s code addressing the Regional Stormwater Management Program.

Question: Green roofs in Philly, so how about Cleveland?

Several tweets came across our "stormwater" feed over the last week discussing the City of Philadelphia's $2 billion green-infrastructure stormwater control plan. ...

"To pave, or not to pave." Is it a question?

A recent Facebook post raised a question from a resident regarding land use, specifically as it relates to vacant land and stormwater management. Last week, our Watershed Programs department took a few moments to explain what role the Sewer District might play in the future when it comes to vacant land and greenspace.