DeKalb committee defers stormwater master plan; asks staff and county attorney for written guidance on resident petition option

The DeKalb County Public Works and Infrastructure Committee voted to defer action on a countywide stormwater master plan for 30 days and asked staff and the county attorney to provide written materials on a proposed residential stormwater petition process intended to let neighbors share costs for repairs.

The committee heard an overview of where the master plan stands and a description of a draft residential petition mechanism Commissioner Robert Patrick described as a tool residents could use to form a service district and share costs for long-term stormwater work. Marcus Allen, Public Works staff, said staff has reviewed the proposed petition process and shared a memo with central staff and the law department for review before the item returns to the committee.

"If the residents are willing to band together, maybe come up with their own service district," Commissioner Robert Patrick said, describing the idea as a way for neighborhoods to finance stormwater improvements in situations where county resources alone cannot resolve upstream/downstream problems.

County Attorney Matt Welch told commissioners the law department has reviewed the proposal and central staff'generated suggestions and that the office has "some concerns and some ideas" to discuss before the petition process is presented publicly. He said the draft has been compared to other special tax district structures used in the region and that the office can produce written comments for committee review.

Commissioners underscored several issues staff must address before a final vote. Commissioner Shakira Johnson asked that the draft clarify responsibility when private easements or buried pipes fail on private property, raising questions about who pays for repairs when private infrastructure affects county drainage. Commissioner Terry noted the master plan was completed about two years ago and urged staff to "zoom in" on problematic watersheds (he asked Public Works to work with commissioners for targeted follow-up in Districts 4 and 6). Director Lempey (Public Works) and Reginald Wells (Department of Watershed Management) said the master plan was designed as a countywide, high-level roadmap and that future phases would drill down to identify local "hot spots" and priorities.

After discussion, the committee passed a motion to defer adoption 30 days so staff can circulate the central-staff memo and the county attorney can provide legal guidance. The committee chair said he expects the written materials to be distributed to commissioners and suggested the item could return to the Board of Commissioners after the 30-day period if outstanding issues are addressed.

Next steps: staff will distribute the central-staff memo and the law department's written recommendations; the committee will reconvene the item within 30 days for further consideration and potential referral to the Board of Commissioners.