Middletown board moves to advertise $5/month stormwater fee to fund repairs and projects

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors voted to authorize advertisement of an ordinance to establish a stormwater impact fee that would begin in 2025 and create a dedicated fund for stormwater maintenance and projects.

The board’s action on Nov. 18 follows work by a seven-member ad hoc Stormwater Advisory Committee that met five times and identified roughly $1.5 million in infrastructure projects it deemed necessary over the next five years. Township staff described the recommended fee as a flat residential charge of $5 per month ($60 per year) and a tiered commercial structure based on impervious surface, with a maximum commercial cap of $6,000 per year. The township estimated annual revenue at about $1.7–$1.8 million, with $200,000 earmarked each year for maintenance of existing infrastructure and the remainder for new projects.

“This provides a funding source to provide, maintain and repair stormwater management infrastructure and assure water quality throughout the township,” staff said during the presentation. The Environmental Advisory Board and a majority of advisory-committee members recommended moving ahead after reviewing alternatives and prioritizing maintenance needs.

The advisory committee and staff said the fee is intended to address long-standing deficiencies in stormwater infrastructure in older neighborhoods developed before modern drainage standards, including pipe failures and undersized conveyance. Staff noted piping projects — such as a recently advertised pipelining effort — as examples of work that could be funded more consistently with a dedicated revenue source.

Some residents urged caution and asked for more data before final action. Bob Feather, an advisory-committee member, asked the board to table the ordinance until follow-up questions submitted by the committee were answered; he said he believed the residential rate could be lower. Township staff and the engineer responded with clarifications about the committee’s process, how grant funding would be pursued in parallel, and why the committee recommended the $5 monthly figure as a balance between adequacy and affordability. The chair noted that the committee’s vote was unanimous except for one member who conditioned support on additional information, which staff said had been addressed in follow-up communications.

Board members emphasized the ordinance step being authorized tonight is for advertisement and public review; any final vote will occur after required public notice and further discussion. The motion to authorize drafting and advertisement passed 4–0.

What’s next: staff will draft the ordinance, present detailed project lists and budget allocation language, and publish the draft for public inspection ahead of a future vote. The board also discussed making the advisory committee permanent to help prioritize projects if the fee is adopted.