Laramie council rejects repeal of stormwater drainage ordinance after extended public comment

The Laramie City Council failed to repeal its surface water drainage ordinance on second reading Tuesday, rejecting a motion to repeal Original Ordinance No. 2109 by a 2to6 vote. Councilor Tom Lockhart and Councilor Patrick Newman voted in favor of repeal; eight other members voted against it or were absent.

The motion, offered by Councilor Newman and seconded by Councilor Lockhart, would have removed Laramie Municipal Code Chapter 13.8, which sets the citys stormwater utility and fee structure. Proponents of repeal argued the fee structure—particularly for some commercial properties—was punitive and based on flawed data; opponents said the city still needs a stable funding stream for aging stormwater infrastructure.

The debate followed a weeks-long public outreach period and multiple council meetings. Supporters of repeal pointed to alleged data problems identified after the councils initial vote and warned the fee schedule could force local businesses to close or pass large costs to consumers. Several business owners…