Township Administrator’s corner

Bath Township property owners recently received their property tax bills and may have noticed an additional fee for stormwater management. The first half tax bills from the Summit County Fiscal Office include a charge labeled “C52 SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT – ENGINEER.” While it appears as a special assessment, it is, in fact, a stormwater utility bill, as authorized under Ohio Revised Code. 

This fee is part of an effort to expand and sustain stormwater management infrastructure across the region. The fee relates to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s issuance of a new permit to Summit County under the OEPA’s National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). OEPA advised the county to enact legislation authorizing it to enforce illicit discharge detection and elimination rules for every community under the MS4 permit, which, at the time, was almost every community in Summit County. 

In order to stay on the county MS4 permit, communities must grant the county authority to map and inspect their stormwater systems by joining the Summit County Surface Water Management District. OEPA also stated the mapping of the stormwater systems in most of the communities on the permit was deficient and a major mapping project would eventually be required. As part of an expanded mandate, OEPA also advised townships were required to be on the county permit. 

Prior to the OEPA’s expanded MS4 permitting requirements, Bath Township was the only Summit County Township to opt into an SWMD plan in 2018, where residents and businesses were charged a monthly stormwater fee. Residential properties were assessed a flat stormwater fee of $4 per month, while commercial properties were assessed $4 per month on the basis of 3,000 square feet of impervious surface area. Fee revenue collected has been, and will continue to be, earmarked and used for stormwater projects that benefit Bath Township, which occupies the largest land area within the watershed. The SWMD fees collected in Bath Township are separate and unrelated to the MS4 permitting requirements to be paid under a regional stormwater program. 

The Surface Water Management District was expanded in June 2022 in favor of a regional district covering all nine townships in Summit County with the adoption of Summit County Council Resolution 2022-191. However, at that time, specific rates had not yet been determined. Instead of implementing fees immediately, officials decided to delay revenue collection until January 2025. To fund initial studies and stormwater improvement projects before the fee collection began, Summit County utilized federal American Rescue Plan Act funding. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the Bath Township SWMD fee will no longer be collected and restricted to Bath Township projects. Instead, residents will pay into the regional SWMD with funds being used for stormwater projects throughout Summit County. 

In December 2022, Summit County Council Resolution 2022-353 was passed to set stormwater utility rate tables. The fee is calculated on the basis of an acreage fee, along with an appraised valuation fee. For residential properties, the maximum annual fee charged will be $100, and for agricultural properties, a maximum of $120. Commercial properties will be billed on the basis of the same acreage and appraised value calculation, with a cap of $400 and an additional fee of $4 per acre for properties over 10 acres. An additional fee of $50 would also be assessed for commercial properties that exceed $1million in appraised value. These rates determine the charges that property owners will see on their tax bills. The goal of this fee structure is to create a sustainable funding source for stormwater management, ensuring better drainage, flood control and water quality improvements across Bath Township and surrounding areas.

All property types within the SWMD boundaries are subject to stormwater fees, including agricultural, commercial, exempt charitable, exempt government, industrial, residential and vacant land.

The only properties exempt from stormwater fees include public road rights-of-way, railroad rights-of-way and properties specifically exempted by Ohio and U.S. constitutional or statutory provisions.

Stormwater runoff is a significant concern for urban and rural communities alike. Unmanaged runoff can lead to flooding, erosion and water pollution, all of which can impact public infrastructure and private property. The regional SWMD fee ensures that funding is available to maintain and improve drainage systems, reducing these risks and promoting environmental sustainability.

The collected fees will be used for the maintenance and enhancement of stormwater drainage systems throughout Summit County, reducing flooding risks in residential and commercial areas, implementing water quality improvement measures, conducting stormwater infrastructure studies and expanding community education and outreach efforts regarding stormwater management. As the regional SWMD moves forward with its planned projects, residents and business owners will hopefully see tangible benefits in stormwater management, including reduced flooding and improved local waterways. For residents seeking additional details regarding the fee structure, billing rules and ongoing stormwater management projects, visit summitengineer.net/pages/SWMD.html.