(A) Stormwater runoff is a critical concern for the county due to the potential for flood damage to residential and commercial structures and productive agricultural land as well as its potential pollutant damage to the surrounding creeks, rivers, and sound.
(B) Water quality standards by state and federal law requiring that local governments develop more detailed, advanced, and costly stormwater programs are being mandated in an ever increasing number of cities and counties in the state.
(C) Heretofore maintenance of conveyances has been the sole responsibility of private property owners, with the exception of road side ditches maintained by the NCDOT, with no concern for the overall performance of the natural water courses and manmade ditches and canals that make up the stormwater system.
(D) Effective stormwater management should be provided to protect, to the extent practicable, the citizens of the county from the loss of life and property damage from flooding.
(E) G.S. Chapter 153A, Article 15 authorizes the county to acquire, construct, establish, enlarge, improve, extend, maintain, own, operate, and contract for the operation of stormwater management programs designed to protect water quality by controlling the level of pollutants in, and the quantity and flow of, stormwater and structural and natural stormwater and drainage systems of all types.
(F) The establishment of a stormwater management utility that would be accounted for as a separate enterprise fund and would facilitate the provision of a stormwater management programs is reasonable and in the public interest.
(G) G.S. § 153A-277 authorizes the county to establish and revise from time to time, a schedule of rates and charges to fund the stormwater management program activities including both structural and natural stormwater conveyance and drainage system services provided by the stormwater management utility.
(Ord. 2013-05-02, passed 6-17-13)