Conroe consultants propose $4/month stormwater fee; council to consider April vote
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Summary
Consultants recommended a stormwater utility fee of $4 per month for most single-family homes and $4 per ERU (3,200 sq ft) for nonresidential properties to fund operations and capital projects; council asked for regional comparisons and will consider a vote April 23.
City staff and consultants presented a stormwater utility fee study to the Conroe City Council on Feb. 26 that recommended a $4 per month residential fee and a $4-per-ERU (3,200-square-foot) rate for nonresidential properties to generate approximately the revenue needed to fund stormwater operations, maintenance and capital improvements.
"This is a common approach where we’re trying to get a foot in the door," Connor Turon of Friese Nichols said during the presentation. Consultants showed a five-year capital-improvement program with FY27 stormwater expenses around $4.4 million and described how revenue at the proposed rates would be applied to labor, operations and new capital projects.
Using the study’s definitions, a typical single-family home would pay $4 per month. For nonresidential properties, the fee is assessed by ERU; consultants gave an example of a 144,000-square-foot impervious property equal to 46 ERUs, which would result in a $184 monthly bill at the $4-per-ERU rate.
Council members asked about regional benchmarking, billing mechanics and whether apartments would be charged as commercial properties. Staff said the revenue would be kept in a separate stormwater account (not the general fund) and that apartment complexes would be measured as a single property with impervious area converted to ERUs and typically billed to the owner, who could then pass the cost to tenants.
Council discussed implementation options, including tiering for small residential properties, and one member said the proposed rate appears "on the lower side" for a new program while still addressing identified needs. Staff said the council would get an updated presentation and a possible adoption vote on April 23.
Why it matters: Conroe has aging drainage infrastructure and recurring flooding in parts of the city. The proposed fee would create a dedicated funding source to address compliance, maintenance and capital projects that staff say are not fully funded through current resources.
Next steps: Staff will return with further refinement and benchmarking prior to a scheduled April 23 vote; no direction to adopt was taken at the Feb. 26 meeting.