Rather than adopt a tiered-rate structure for its storm water utility fee, city council members in Naples, Fla., have voted 5 to 2 to raise charges to a standard $11.40 a month, or $22.80 each billing cycle.
Councilmen Gary Price and John Sorey cast the dissenting votes. "I don't think this is fair or equitable," Sorey said. "I will not support the existing one-size-fits all approach."
Many condominium owners have voiced similar concerns about the new fee structure. "It is clear the city knew, or should've known, that their way of charging was inequitable," said Naples resident Ewing Sutherland. "Doing the right thing is often the most difficult thing to [do]."
A tiered system would have required residents of homes spanning less than 2,200 sq ft to pay a rate of about $9 a month. Homes with more than 8,000 sq ft, because they feature more impervious surface coverage, would have been charged approximately $64 a month. Condominium residents, under this plan, would have paid a percentage amounting to less than that of a single-family home.
The Naples City Council rejected the tiered plan in February, noting that community-wide problems call for community-wide solutions. It also rejected Sorey's recommendation that single-family homes larger than 1,300 sq ft pay $12.88 a month and condominium and smaller single-family homes $8.69 a month, about 67 percent of the proposed base rate.
"I don't live in a 2,000-sq-ft house, and my neighbors don't live in a 2,000-sq-ft house, but this is all of our problems," said Councilwoman Penny Taylor.
Naples' new storm water utility fee structure is set to go into effect after the second, and final, hearing scheduled for late March.Source: Naples Daily News
