New Rule: If You Collect A Fee, There Had Better Be A Fee Benefit Especially If Public Safety Is Involved

Caption For This Picture:
So Sorry Gated Communities Of Homestead, You're On Your Own, Your Money Is Needed Elsewhere


Where is the City concern for the health and safety of the residents paying the stormwater fee yet residing in a community with "private" roads?

Shouldn't the goal of the City of Homestead stormwater management plan be first and foremost to insure the health, safety and general welfare of it's citizens by the reduction or prevention of hazards from flooding, inadequate drainage and contamination?

403.0893 Stormwater funding; dedicated funds for stormwater management.—In addition to any other funding mechanism legally available to local government to construct, operate, or maintain stormwater systems, a county or municipality may:

(1) Create one or more stormwater utilities and adopt stormwater utility fees sufficient to plan, construct, operate, and maintain stormwater management systems set out in the local program required pursuant to s. 403.0891(3);

(2) Establish and set aside, as a continuing source of revenue, other funds sufficient to plan, construct, operate, and maintain stormwater management systems set out in the local program required pursuant to s. 403.0891(3); or

(3) Create, alone or in cooperation with counties, municipalities, and special districts pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act, s. 163.01, one or more stormwater management system benefit areas. All property owners within said area may be assessed a per acreage fee to fund the planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and administration of a public stormwater management system for the benefited area. Any benefit area containing different land uses which receive substantially different levels of stormwater benefits shall include stormwater management system benefit subareas which shall be assessed different per acreage fees from subarea to subarea based upon a reasonable relationship to benefits received. The fees shall be calculated to generate sufficient funds to plan, construct, operate, and maintain stormwater management systems called for in the local program required pursuant to s. 403.0891(3). For fees assessed pursuant to this section, counties or municipalities may use the non-ad valorem levy, collection, and enforcement method as provided for in chapter 197.