The billing of residents for Johns Creek’s new stormwater utility program will be delayed one or two months, the mayor said. But the city is already preparing to hire companies to do stormwater repairs.
Johns Creek approved a stormwater program in June and fees will be charged to property owners to help cover the estimated $3.2 million per year cost for repairs and maintenance to the system.
The first bills will be sent to residents through Fulton County in September or October. Johns Creek had anticipated bills would be mailed to residents in August, but the first bills are being delayed while Fulton County Commission takes a procedural vote to add the billing service to its intergovernmental agreement with Johns Creek, Mayor Mike Bodker said.
During a Monday meeting, Johns Creek City Council approved a $46,000 annual cost for Fulton to handle billing and collection of the stormwater fees and an amendment to their intergovernmental agreement.
Stormwater Utility Manager Cory Rayburn said Johns Creek is preparing three requests for proposals to clean out sediment in pipes and headwalls, and repair and reinforce some pipes, or replace them.
Rayburn said corrugated metal stormwater pipes in roads that were installed 60 years ago are rusty and can result in backed-up water in basements.
The city has been fielding calls from residents concerned about the new fee, as well as flooding and erosion on their properties from heavy rains.
Under the new ordinance, the stormwater service area was expanded beyond the city’s right of way to include property owners from one end of stormwater pipes to the other. But private gated communities that own their roads aren’t in the service area. In addition to residents being charged for the utility fee, homeowners associations will be billed thousands of dollars.
Resident Don Mairose, 87, who owns two lots totaling 4 ½ acres on Medlock Bridge Road, is also not in the city’s stormwater service area.
Rose contacted the city last week after he estimated his stormwater fee would be $326 per year. The city told Rose he will be charged about $180. The stormwater program allows for a 40% discount for his two septic tanks as long as they are pumped out every five years.
Rose said the fee is fair, but he added, “I still think I shouldn’t be paying anything.”
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