WEST HOUSTON ASSOCIATION

info@westhouston.org

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Houston, Texas 77024

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West Houston Association Issues

City of Houston Council Flood Control & Drainage Committee: Stakeholders Advisory Group (SAG)

 

The City of Houston has implemented a citizen's committee to assist them in developing an effective flood control and drainage program.  Here are notes from the latest committee meeting.

Notes of Meetings

 

July 13, 2005

Stakeholders Advisory Committee

(Advising the Houston City Council’s Flood Control & Drainage Committee)

Summary of Discussions Concerning Funding for City of Houston Drainage System Capital Programs

 

This summarizes discussions from a July 13, 2005 meeting of the City’s Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAG) an advisory group to the City Council’s Flood Control & Drainage chair, Ada Edwards and vice chair, Tony Lawrence.

 

The discussion topic was a continuation of a previous meeting agenda, how to finance the City’s flood control and drainage program.  SAG will continue to discuss financing and implementation at future meetings.  I am unsure how or even if these suggestions will be forwarded to Council.

 

Federal grants

A previously assumed strategy for funding has been determined to be infeasible or not promising because what federal funding is available is mostly allocated to Harris County Flood Control.  Gaining additional funding is not politically practicable.

 

REGIONAL APPROACH

SAG discussed the need to not penalize development in the City with significantly higher impact fees.  With the existing division of responsibilities between counties in the area and between the City and Harris County, a reorganization would very difficult and likely politically infeasible.

 

The Urban Stormwater Study currently being undertaken by Harris County, City of Houston and TxDOT will not discuss governance issues.  Additionally, the Study does not now have a “how to finance” component.

 

Dedicated fee & impact fee

SAG focused on the need for dedicated revenue for drainage capital projects estimated to be in the $2 billion range, the primary focus of which is listed below: 

  1. Revenue from a dedicated (no transfer to general fund) drainage fee for capital projects in the amount of $3.50 to 5.00 avg per month

  2. Implementation of an impact fee on new development

  3. No exemptions from drainage fee

 

Implementing the fees

SAG discussed how to implement this type of program: 

  1. Should first have a comprehensive plan for drainage improvements with priority projects and implementation schedule

  2. Estimate the funding requirements (The Urban Stormwater Study could help establish some credibility in the size of the problem and its cost.  If that plan had a financial component which it does not now have, it could also suggest the fees as alternatives, further providing credibility.

  3. Gain a supporter(s) on Council

 

A discussion on a related issues ran throughout the meeting:  a limitation of and the need to change a City Charter requirement that City revenue be divided 50/50 between capital projects and maintenance and operations.