Oro Valley Town Council on Oct. 15 approved Resolution R25-52, issuing a Notice of Intent to increase the stormwater utility base fee from $4.50 to $6.50 per equivalent residential unit (ERU) phased across three fiscal years. The motion passed unanimously, 7–0.

Stormwater Utility Division Manager Dennis Roberts told the council the NOI does not enact a rate change but starts a public process required by statute and mirrors Arizona Revised Statutes procedures used for water utilities. Roberts said the proposed phased increases would be: a 15% rise to $5.17 per ERU effective July 1, 2026; a 13% rise to $5.84 effective July 1, 2027; and an 11% rise to $6.50 effective July 1, 2028. Roberts said the phased approach seeks predictability for residents while meeting funding needs to maintain infrastructure and meet state stormwater standards.

Council members said the increase is overdue. Vice Mayor Barrett noted the fee had not changed in nine years and called the phased approach useful for resident planning. Councilmember Green, who serves as council liaison to the Stormwater Utility Commission, praised the commission and staff for constraining costs while noting material and contractor inflation. Several members said grant funding that had previously offset work is now harder to secure, increasing the need for local revenue.

Roberts described two grant awards (one he said was confirmed and another pending with DEMA/FEMA) that could fund specific projects but said even with grants the stormwater program faces a backlog of roughly 40 prioritized projects for which staff is preparing cost estimates. Roberts also summarized the current and proposed ERU definitions (one ERU = 4,000 square feet of impervious surface for commercial properties).

The council motion authorized publication of the NOI—required to be published in a general-circulation newspaper at least 60 days before the public hearing and again at least 20 days prior—and directed staff to proceed with the public review materials, including a stormwater rate analysis report and revised fee schedule available at the town clerk’s office and online. The public hearing on the proposed rates is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026.

Councilmembers said they planned to support the NOI because it funds maintenance and public-safety projects for washes and drainage and because the town has underfunded stormwater needs for years. No council member opposed the motion; the mayor declared the ayes 7–0.

Votes at a glance: Resolution R25-52 — Approved 7–0.