Orlando hikes stormwater fee despite objections

Property owners in Orlando will see a higher stormwater bill starting next year, providing a costly shot in the arm to fund maintenance and improvements to the aging pipes that move rainwater from streets and neighborhoods to lakes and ponds.

By a 5-1 vote Monday, the city council signed off on the controversial hike after hearing from about two dozen residents opposed to the increase, most of whom argued it wasn’t equitable. Commissioner Tony Ortiz cast the lone opposing vote.

“If Bill Gates moved into town and bought a $10 million house, he’d be paying the same stormwater fee as me,” said city resident Bill Giardello. “That’s nonsense.”

The fee is calculated based on a property’s impervious surface — essentially the hard surfaces like a rooftop, driveway or pool deck. The fee will drastically increase between 2025 and 2028.

For example, a home with 2,000 impervious square feet will pay $13.49 per month next year – an increase of $3.50 per month – eventually climbing to $21.24 per month in 2028. That would amount to an $11.25 per month hike from today’s level.

Even more changes may be in store.

City officials said they’ll soon begin a reevaluation of various fee discounts that have been on the books for years, as well as the current cap on residential fees. The fee is capped at 2,500 square feet, meaning a home with 5,000 impervious square feet pays the same as one with 2,500. The study is due to start in July, and officials could revisit the rates next year.

The current fee has been untouched since 2008, leaving the stormwater fund drastically short on the money city officials say is needed to maintain and improve the current system. Public works director Corey Knight said Monday his department borrowed about $17 million last year alone, which isn’t sustainable in future years.

“We cannot keep that up,” he said.

Many of the city’s underground pipes are 80 to 100 years old, meaning they’re at significant risk of failing, or need more maintenance to prolong their life. With the planned increase, the city is expected to bring the fund’s revenue to $34.6 million next year, and up to $54.5 million in 2028.

“We understand there’s a lot of needs, especially since the historic rainfall of [Hurricane] Ian brought out those needs,” Knight said.

Many of the residents in opposition pointed to economic conditions and higher consumer costs for food, housing, insurance as a reason to vote down the increase.

“Inflation is too high to impose this right now,” said Mike Alderman. “People can’t afford to go to the grocery store and you’re going to raise this 100%.”

Dyer acknowledged the city should have considered smaller increases sooner.

“We should have gradually increased rates sometime between 2008 and now,” Dyer said. “There’s never a good time to raise a fee.”

rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com