More paying stormwater fees; $1.5M still owed

Property owners are picking up the pace in paying Colorado Springs’ new stormwater fees, but a significant portion of the money the city hoped to collect this year is delinquent.

As of Nov. 28, the Stormwater Enterprise reported $1.5 million past due, about 12 percent of the total.

While 96 percent of the first two quarters’ billings has been paid and 85 percent of the third, only 66 percent of fourth-quarter billings due by Nov. 28 has been paid.

Stormwater manager Ken Sampley said he’s hopeful most people will pay by year’s end. Those who don’t face late fees of 6 percent annually and collection procedures, including liens against properties for which fees are delinquent.

“As we go through the year, we will send reminder letters,” Sampley said. “At some point if they aren’t paid, we have to pursue the avenues we have open to us.”

That means delinquent bills will be tacked onto property tax bills due to the El Paso County Treasurer’s Office in early 2009, he said.

The Stormwater Enterprise was formed in 2005 by the City Council, which adopted fees in November 2006 to become effective in January.

Collections lagged at the start — largely, city officials say, because Springs property owners weren’t familiar with stormwater bills.

Assessments are computed based on property type — singlefamily, commercial/industrial/government or nonprofit, such as churches. Aerial photographs and El Paso County assessor information were used to develop a database.

The idea is to use the money, $14.3 million annually, on a backlog of flood-control projects the city estimates at $295 million. Of those, $60 million worth is considered critical and first in line for funding in the next five or six years.

Sampley said the enterprise won’t spend all the money it budgeted this year, so the shortfall won’t be missed for a while.

“Once we got the program approved, it wasn’t like we had a slew of projects designed and ready to bid, so we had to do that,” he said. “From where we started, we’re making good progress.”

Sampley said residents will see construction begin on several projects next year, including Sand Creek below the Waynoka bridge, Cottonwood Creek downstream of Rangewood Drive and Cottonwood Creek east of Interstate 25.