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Committee recommends ordinance change to charge stormwater fee per dwelling on parcels with multiple single‑family units
Summary
Dorchester County's Public Works, Property and Utilities Committee unanimously recommended a second reading of an ordinance amendment clarifying that the stormwater utility fee should be assessed for each single‑family dwelling on a parcel when more than one dwelling exists, aligning billing with current practice for mobile homes and intended bi
The Public Works, Property and Utilities Committee on March 3 recommended second‑reading approval of an ordinance amendment clarifying how the county’s stormwater utility fee applies to parcels that contain more than one single‑family residential structure.
County Administrator Jason Ward told the committee the change corrects a mistake: the county’s stormwater fee has been assessed where a parcel contains multiple single‑family dwellings (and for mobile homes in similar situations), and the amendment is intended to codify that practice before bills are issued next year. Ward said the amendment will make explicit that the fee applies to each qualifying dwelling on a single parcel rather than only once per parcel.
The committee voted unanimously to recommend second reading of the ordinance amendment.
Why it matters: the change clarifies billing and closes a coding/administrative ambiguity ahead of the county’s next billing cycle, affecting how the stormwater fee will be charged on parcels with multiple dwellings or mobile homes.
Next steps: the amendment moves toward a County Council second reading and, if adopted, will be applied in the next billing cycle; staff said the revision is being made prior to generating next year’s bills to ensure the correct fees are charged.
