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Council clarifies city SAC ordinance to align with Met Council ICC process and authorizes manager adjustment authority
Summary
Bloomington clarified its city sewer availability charge (SAC) ordinance to state it will not operate an ICC program and allowed the city manager limited authority to adjust city SAC fees proportionally when Met Council makes adjustments. Council approved the ordinance after public hearing; vote was 5‑1 with one dissent.
The Bloomington City Council on June 30 approved an amendment to the city’s sewer availability charge (SAC) ordinance to clarify how the city will coordinate with the Metropolitan Council’s Industrial Capacity Charge (ICC) program and to add a limited authority for the city manager to adjust the city SAC fee proportionally to Met Council adjustments.
Special Projects and Initiatives Manager Sean Lundy told the council the city’s SAC ordinance adopted in December 2024 did not address how Bloomington would apply the Met Council ICC determinations. Lundy said the ordinance before the council clarified that Bloomington will not run a separate ICC program and added language to address case‑by‑case issues that arise while coordinating with Met Council. He also proposed language allowing the city manager to adjust the city SAC fee when Met Council makes proportional changes, to avoid mismatches between the two entities’ assessments.
Council discussion focused on how the Met Council determines SAC units and whether the city could ever apply a different determination. Community Development Director Kim Bergen explained the city uses the Met Council’s unit determination and that the manager’s adjustment authority is intended to align the city’s fee amount with Met Council adjustments when appropriate. D'Alessandro moved to adopt the ordinance; Council member Muwat said she opposed the measure because she had opposed the original SAC ordinance. The council adopted the ordinance by a 5‑1 vote. A subsequent motion to authorize summary publication carried 6‑0.
The ordinance does not create an ICC program in Bloomington nor change the city’s reliance on Met Council unit determinations; rather it clarifies coordination and gives staff limited flexibility to match Met Council adjustments in rare cases. Staff said the change is intended to reduce inconsistencies for developers and applicants who work through Met Council SAC determinations and Bloomington’s local process.
