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Johns Creek staff proposes $422,000 stormwater grant pilot; council debates corridors vs. backyard fixes
Summary
Staff recommended a $422,000 stormwater grant program with a $50,000 per‑property cap, 20% match and one grant per property per five years; councilors pushed for prioritizing impaired‑stream corridors, a scoring rubric, sliding‑scale matches and attention to permitting burdens for larger restorations.
Staff presented a proposed stormwater grant pilot funded at $422,000 to assist property owners with runoff and erosion problems. Presenter Rayburn outlined recommended program parameters: a $50,000 maximum award per property, a minimum 20% owner match and one application per property (with a suggested five‑year limit on repeat awards). "For the 1st item, staff recommends using a maximum grant award of $50,000 for any 1 property," Rayburn said.
Council debate centered on whether the pilot should prioritize corridor‑scale stream restoration (where government coordination is needed) or focus on individual homeowner fixes (rain gardens, barrels). Several members called for a scoring rubric that weights impaired‑stream proximity more highly and suggested a sliding match scale to favor higher‑efficacy or lower‑income projects. Staff warned that bundling multiple properties or corridor projects can trigger federal and state permitting and greatly increase complexity and permitting timelines. Council asked staff to refine the rubric, consider pilot scale (one‑time vs. ongoing) and return with options.
