Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Urbandale advances first reading of ordinance to fund foundation‑drain disconnections; grants up to $3,500 proposed
Summary
The council approved the first reading of an ordinance creating a Foundation Drain Disconnection Program that would reimburse property owners up to $3,500 (city $2,500, sewer district $1,000) to disconnect footing drains from sanitary sewers and route groundwater to storm systems; fees would be imposed for noncompliance after notification.
The Urbandale City Council gave initial approval to an ordinance and an accompanying grant program on May 5 to accelerate disconnection of foundation (footing) drains now tied to sanitary sewers.
Assistant Director of Engineering Kristin Brostrom told the council the disconnects address a long‑standing infrastructure and environmental problem: foundation drains connected to sanitary sewers increase the volume the wastewater system must treat, contribute to backups during heavy storms and raise treatment costs for customers. Where new storm sewers are installed, the city wants property owners to disconnect footing drains from sanitary service, install a sump pump and discharge to the storm system instead.
Under the proposed program the council advanced on first reading, the city would reimburse 100% of eligible disconnect costs up to $3,500 per property. Brostrom said the proposed cost share is roughly $2,500 from the city and $1,000 from the sanitary sewer districts; the districts have budgeted for the contribution and will need to adopt similar ordinances or approvals.
The ordinance would trigger a timeline after the city notifies property owners in an impacted project area: a one‑year notice period with no fee, then a $50 per‑month fee assessed by the sanitary district for a second year if the property remains disconnected; after two years the noncompliance fee would rise to $100 per month. Brostrom said the code also permits municipal infractions if an owner refuses to comply.
Eligibility for the grant requires that a property be connected to sanitary service prior to approval; applicants would be required to obtain permits and close the building permit before reimbursement. The reimbursement process mirrors the city’s existing stormwater grant practice: owners typically submit contractor estimates and later submit paid receipts and a closed building permit for payment.
Council discussion focused on rental properties and enforcement: members asked how fees would be billed when tenants pay water bills and whether nonowner‑occupied parcels require different enforcement language. Staff said the fee would appear on the water utility bill and that municipal infractions are assessed against the property owner; staff agreed to refine language and report back on rental‑owner billing and enforcement options before second reading. Council members also raised the challenge of owners who cannot front the cost and asked staff to explore Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC) options and report on outreach to vulnerable households.
The council approved the ordinance’s first reading and the related council letter; staff said program funding is available in the current budget and will be administered with standard permit and reimbursement controls.
