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Stormwater advisory board presents annual report; council accepts and notes funding, aging infrastructure and impervious-area study
Summary
The Stormwater Advisory Board presented its annual report, including the drainage assistance program and a forthcoming impervious-area analysis. Council accepted the report; staff noted a $750,000 appropriation for the current fiscal year for drainage assistance and that the city is assessing nearly $1 billion in stormwater capital needs.
The Fayetteville Stormwater Advisory Board presented its annual report to the City Council on projects, outreach and regulatory obligations tied to the city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit; council accepted the report.
Whitaker Granace, chair of the Stormwater Advisory Board, reviewed the board’s role, stated obligations under the Clean Water Act and the state’s MPDES permit, and summarized recent and planned work: drainage assistance program (DAP) case reviews, capital improvement program items, watershed studies and a forthcoming impervious-area analysis that could support a tiered stormwater fee structure. Granace said many stormwater pipes and structures date to the 1970s and older systems are failing; the city has identified nearly $1 billion in candidate capital projects to address persistent flooding and aging infrastructure.
During Q&A staff confirmed the council previously appropriated $750,000 in the current fiscal year to the drainage assistance program; staff offered to provide a status update on remaining funds and expenditures. Granace and staff highlighted public outreach (including a large school event) and noted the department’s success obtaining outside grant funds for many capital projects.
Council members asked about improving access to DAP for homeowners and about immediate projects. Granace and staff recommended the city’s FaithFixIt app and the stormwater hotline for reporting localized flooding and noted that the department often handles smaller repairs in-house, which reduces costs for homeowners.
Councilmember Mujandros moved to accept the Stormwater Advisory Board annual report; the motion was seconded by Councilmember Green and carried unanimously. The board encouraged council to watch for the impervious-area study results, which will inform any conversation about tiered rates and equitable billing.
