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| Impervious
surfaces in residential area |
Fee Overview
SEMSWA charges two types of Stormwater Fees
1. An annual Stormwater Fee on all residential
and non-residential property. Property owners within SEMSWA’s
service area are assessed an annual stormwater fee and receive
stormwater management services. Fees are based on Impervious
Area (IA). See section on calculation of fees for details.
The stormwater fee is billed on the Arapahoe County Tax Statement
that is sent in January. It is due according to the same schedule
as property tax payments. The fee is listed on the tax statement under "SE METRO STRMWTR AUTH". Please note that Colorado
Revised Statute 29-1-204.2 authorizes drainage agencies to
charge stormwater fees for service. The stormwater fee is
not a tax.
2. System Development Fees are charged to
developers for all new construction
Basis for Stormwater
Fees
The stormwater fee is based on the amount that each property
contributes to stormwater runoff. Aerial photos and Arapahoe
County Assessor records are used to determine the Impervious
Area on each parcel. This method provides an equitable assignment
of costs because property owners pay fees in proportion to
the demand placed on the drainage system by their property’s
runoff.
Over time, the stormwater fees collected by SEMSWA will be
used equitably across the SEMSWA service area and will be
spent in the same areas from which the fees were collected.
The scope of stormwater management services provided by SEMSWA
to property owners affects the fee level. SEMSWA sets the
fees so that there are sufficient funds to properly manage
stormwater and meet federal regulatory requirements and unfunded
mandates.
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| Impervious
surfaces in commercial area |
Background
Information
Stormwater must be managed for the common good as runoff
does not follow subdivision or community boundaries. Storm
drain systems in areas outside of your neighborhood - places
where you shop, work, recreate or travel - help keep you safe.
Your quality of life, the value of your property and the health
of the environment are related to how well storm drain systems
are maintained. Without timely and adequate maintenance of
the system and consistent upgrading and construction of new
facilities, streets can become flooded and impassable after
heavy rainfall.
As an intergovernmental agency, SEMSWA provides economy of
scale, greater efficiency, and better levels of service. As
of 2009, needed stormwater projects are estimated to cost
$76 million.
Stormwater fees are used to:
• Cover the costs of design, construction and maintenance
of stormwater facilities
• Insure compliance with federal environmental regulations
• Insure compliance with regulations regarding new development
• Educate the public about stormwater issues
Comparison of
Municipalities that Charge Stormwater Fees
More than twenty communities across Colorado charge separate
fees for stormwater management. See the chart below for a
comparison of fees. The dollar amount is the average monthly
fee charged to a single family residence.
In 2010, the average stormwater fee
for a single family residence was $6.90 per month ($82.82
charged annually on the Arapahoe County Tax Statement). SEMSWA
fee rates take into consideration the particular characteristics
of the service area:
• Aging infrastructure and deferred maintenance
• A large inventory of remedial and new construction
projects
• New federal regulatory mandates
How Stormwater
Fees are Calculated
SEMSWA calculates Impervious Area (IA) by using:
• Aerial photography of each parcel. Aerial imagery
taken in 2008 will be updated annually and used along with
County records for new development. The imagery used is accurate
to +/- one foot.
• Geographical Information System (ArcGIS) information.
• Arapahoe County Assessor’s property records:
parcel number, owner, site address, mailing address, single
family residential or other property class, total parcel area
and parcel boundary.
From these files, the IA is identified and measurement of
the IA is calculated. Roughly, the IA is the “footprint”
of all surfaces on a parcel from which water would run off
(roof, walkway, driveway, patio, parking lot, etc.).
The IA measurement is then used according to the fee rates
shown below to calculate the fee for a parcel.
To receive a copy of the aerial imagery used to calculate
the IA of your parcel, please call SEMSWA Customer Service
at 303-858-8844, or contact us by email through the “Contact
Us” page of this website. We will need the property
address and parcel number (“Schedule Number” on
Tax Statement). We can assist you in determining the parcel
number.
Fees
for Single-Family Detached Residences
A detached residence is a stand-alone home, and does not
include condos or townhomes.
The 2010 stormwater rate structures is as follows:
| Impervious Area (Sq. Ft.) |
2010 Fee |
| 100 - 2,000 |
$47.48 |
| 2,001 - 2,900 |
$63.64 |
| 2,901 - 3,900 |
$82.82 |
| 3,901 - 7,500 |
$111.10 |
| 7,501 - 50,000 |
$241.40 |
Fees for Non-Single Family Detached: Commercial /
Governmental / Non-Profit / Condo & Townhome Properties
The fee is based on the equation below. Fees will range from
about $50 per year for small properties to over $10,000 per
year for properties with large areas of impervious surface.
This equation applies to condo and townhome complexes. Condos
and townhomes may pay a prorated share of the costs due for
the entire condo/ townhome complex (including common area
impervious surfaces).
% Impervious
of the Property |
2010
Annual rate per
1,000 sq. feet
of Impervious Area |
| Less than 2% |
No fee |
| 2% - 40% |
$16.293 |
| 41% - 70% |
$25.066 |
| 71% - 100% |
$33.840 |
Fee Equation for Commercial / Governmental / Non-profit /
Condos & Townhomes
Rate x Property’s Impervious Area = $ Fee
Sample: $25.066 (rate) x 27 (1,000 sq. ft.) = $676.78 / year
Delinquent
Stormwater Fees
The County Treasurer does not collect stormwater fees after August 1st. If the property tax bill is not paid in full by that date, the County Treasurer removes the stormwater fee from the tax invoice and informs SEMSWA of parcels on which the fees are outstanding. Even if the tax bill is paid in full after August 1st, the stormwater fee is no longer included in the amount due to the County. SEMSWA then collects fees directly. Collection may include collection fees and liens filed against the property.
Fees
for New Development Infrastructure
A System Development Fee, separate from the annual fees on
property, is charged to developers to pay for necessary new
stormwater infrastructure. Fees paid by owners of existing
property will not be used for new development.
Disputing
a Fee: Policy and Procedures
The documents linked below explain the SEMSWA policies regarding
the grounds and procedures for disputing a stormwater fee.
The first document concerns Impervious Area calculations.
The second document concerns determination of contiguous parcel
status for non-single family residential properties.
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