Agenda Item: 10
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: June 24, 2025
SUBJECT: SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE
DETERMINING THE ANNUAL STORMWATER POLLUTION
PREVENTION FEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood Services
PRESENTER: Darin Seegmiller
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt an ordinance entitled, "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, DETERMINING THE ANNUAL STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION FEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26.”
BACKGROUND
Under Section 15.50.070 of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code, the City of Santa Clarita (City) must hold an annual public hearing or meeting where an oral and written presentation may be made concerning the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Fee (Fee). The City Clerk has published the notice of the annual public hearing as provided by law. On June 10, 2025, the City Council conducted a public hearing to consider the Fee.
The Fee supports the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act requirements and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.
In 2009, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 09-14 (Ordinance), establishing a new methodology to calculate the Fee. Under Section 3 of the Ordinance, the City Council shall determine the rates annually, subject to the maximum Fee authorized by the Ordinance. The City Council may determine to do any of the following: a) discontinue the Fee; b) reduce or maintain the actual Fee rate imposed below the maximum Fee rate authorized; or c) adjust the rate up to or below the maximum voter-authorized rate if it has been previously set below such rate. The City Council is not required to include an inflation increase annually, but may choose to accumulate the inflationary increase and enact the cumulative amount.
Staff recommends that the Stormwater Fee for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 be levied at $32.78 per Equivalent Residential Unit, which is equal to the maximum allowable under the guidelines of Section 3 of the Ordinance. The recommended levy represents an adjustment of $1.09 compared to the levied Fee of $31.69 in FY 2024-25. The Fee is calculated by adding an amount equal to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim areas for the preceding year ending December 2024 (3.42 percent).
The FY 2025-26 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Fee Engineer’s Report and a preliminary list of the rates for all properties subject to the Fee are attached to this item as reading file material, along with a draft ordinance determining the rate. If the ordinance is adopted, Willdan Financial Services is directed to prepare and file the final list of rates with the Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller, to be placed on the tax rolls and collected with regular City and County taxes.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Upon adoption of the Annual Stormwater Pollution Prevention Fee for FY 2025-26, $32.78 per Equivalent Residential Unit will be placed on the Los Angeles County tax roll. For FY 2025-26, annual Stormwater Pollution Prevention Fee revenues are estimated to be approximately $4.8 million. The funds will be deposited into the Stormwater Utility Revenue Account 356-402301 and will be utilized for stormwater pollution prevention activities.
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance
FY 2025-26 Stormwater Engineer's Report (available in the City Clerk's Reading File) FY 2025-26 Stormwater Fee Tax Roll (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)