Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Erosion Stormwater Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board raises erosion and stormwater fees, removes single-family exemption
Summary
Supervisors adopt ordinance updating Chapter 5 to raise per-acre and maintenance fees, add a reinspection fee and remove single-family dwelling exemption to better recover staff costs; vote was 3-1.
The Goochland County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt changes to Chapter 5 of the county code to update erosion and stormwater management fees, remove a single-family dwelling exemption and add a reinspection fee. Deputy Administrator Josh Gillespie told the board the fees had not been updated for more than a decade and staff conducted benchmarking with neighboring localities.
"Essentially, what we are seeking to do is to get caught up to the current times, to look at cost recovery in a way that's more realistic," Gillespie said. The ordinance amends definitions and sections 5-4, 5-5, 5-7, 5-16 and 5-18 and updates Appendix C, the county fee schedule.
Supervisors debated the changes in committee-level detail. Supervisor Spoonhauer cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he was concerned about adding fees and government oversight and the potential effect on housing costs. Other board members said the fee changes were intended to recover county costs rather than generate revenue. Chair Christie and others urged ongoing review and asked staff to look for efficiency improvements, including potential use of technology to lower administrative expense.
The ordinance passed on a roll-call vote: Supervisor Lyle, yes; Supervisor Spoonhauer, no; Supervisor Waters, yes; Chair Christie, yes. Staff said the fees had last been updated in July 2015 and that removal of the single-family exemption would expand the county's inspection and enforcement coverage for erosion and sediment control.
