Beginning in January 2021 onward, residents in unincorporated areas of New Hanover County will have to pay an annual fee of $67.80.
The fee will be collected once a year through the county’s property tax bill and will be listed as a separate fee for property owners, reported WWAY. The fee also covers the county’s $4 million program to clear debris and and enhance storm water drainage in unincorporated parts of the county.
The Stormwater Services Program will begin maintenance work in neighborhoods that don’t have managed drainage systems starting in July.
“Residents who bought land after 2000, which are required by county ordinance to have storm water controls, will get a 31% discount on the fee,” said County Engineer Jim Iannucci, who also co-developed the plan. “Landowners will not have to pay the tax on undeveloped property.”
According to a news release, the service will create a flexible way to plan and pay for more effective water management practices. Residents in the unincorporated areas of New Hanover County will no longer be responsible for maintaining and cleaning ditches and pipes on their property.
“This is something we’ve been exploring since 2017, because proactively managing storm water in the unincorporated areas of the county is an important and much-needed service for our community,” Iannucci said. “When this service begins in July, the responsibility for storm water maintenance will shift from residents to the county and we can implement a more strategic and comprehensive approach to storm water management.”
Commercial properties, nonprofits, churches and other non-residential properties will be charged a fee based on their impervious surface area, reported WWAY.
