The City of McAllen Engineering Department will be hosting two public meetings to provide information and receive feedback on a proposed Drainage Utility Fee Ordinance. The proposed purpose of the drainage utility fee will be used to create a funding source for drainage related improvements.
The public meetings will be held on Monday, December 18, at Lark Community Center, 2601 Lark Community Center and Tuesday, December 19 at Palmview Community Center, 3401 Jordan Road W. Both will begin at 6 PM.
At these presentations, McAllen City Engineer Yvette Barrera and her staff will present information, outlining the details of the proposed drainage utility fee ordinance, including how the drainage fee will be calculated, as well as outlining which utility projects have been identified as priority in the Drainage Master Plan. Afterwards, there will be a question and answer period and residents can also leave their comments on cards that will be made available to all who attend.
According to Barrera, the fee will be based on an Equivalent Residential Unit, which is the average impervious cover for single family residential lots in the city of McAllen. The department considered the size of homes, as well as their patios, driveways and porches to develop this E.R.U. One E.R.U. is equivalent to 2,700 square feet of impervious cover. Based on this formula, the proposed fee will be $1.50 per month. While some homes will be less – the proposed minimum to be charged will be $1 a month – the maximum includes a proposed charge of $75 per month for commercial property.
The fee will be used to construct drainage improvement projects, including installing new structures, widening ditches, creating storm water detention facilities for those areas already identified as priority by the McAllen City Commission in the City’s Master Drainage Plan.
The official public hearing will be during the McAllen City Commission meeting on Monday, January 8, 2018, starting at 5:00 p.m. at the McAllen City Commission Chambers at City Hall, 1300 W. Houston Avenue.
For more information, contact the City of McAllen Engineering Department at 681-1160.
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