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Stormwater staff preview FY27 budget, utility fee structure and $30m+ CIP push
Summary
Staff outlined the FY27 budget planning for Raleigh Stormwater, explained the utility fee mechanics (1 SFE = 2,260 sq ft impervious), discussed CIP priorities including Camp Pond dam and other major projects, and said the department plans debt financing to accelerate construction; a formal rate proposal will be presented next month.
Staff presented an overview of fiscal year 2027 budget planning and capital priorities and set expectations that a formal rate recommendation will be presented to the commission in the next meeting.
Presenters explained the stormwater utility funding model (staff stated one single‑family equivalent is 2,260 square feet of impervious area) and described tiers for single‑family residential accounts. Staff reported the typical single‑family monthly charge as $8.22 (transcript formatting was ambiguous on the raw figure) and said the utility provides more than 95% of program revenue. Staff said the department is currently balancing operating needs and expanding its CIP, with a multi‑year capital list that includes major projects such as Camp Pond dam, Sweetbrier, Alamance, East Lane and others.
Staff described the department’s revenue strategy: building fund balance to support near‑term cash flow, pursuing grant opportunities, and planning for debt issuance (initially a bank line of credit followed by potential bond sale once projects and financing size justify it). They said early debt use would likely be for large projects encumbered in FY27 and that projected rate adjustments in future years are assumptions in the rate model tied to debt service, inflation and staffing costs; Council will consider an official rate when the FY27 budget is presented.
Commissioners and attendees raised equity and policy questions: whether roads or DOT properties should be exempt from fees, how multifamily and large commercial footprints are charged relative to single‑family accounts, and the affordability implications of annual rate increases. Staff said those policy issues can be considered as part of Council deliberations and peer comparisons.
What happens next: staff will bring a formal FY27 budget and rate recommendation to the commission and City Council for consideration in the coming month.
