HB 4691 Summary

• Establishes the "Stormwater Utility Act" allowing local units of government to create stormwater management utilities and assess utility fees on properties that use stormwater systems.

• Requires local units to adopt both a stormwater management plan (by resolution) and a stormwater utility ordinance before creating a utility, with specific plan contents including service area, cost projections, fee calculation methods, and impervious area inventory.

• Permits stormwater utility fees based on quantity or quality of stormwater runoff using methods such as impervious area, equivalent residential units, intensity of development, or equivalent hydraulic area.

• Establishes mandatory fee reduction or elimination procedures for properties that implement improvements reducing stormwater runoff volume, rate, or pollution beyond natural levels, with property owners bearing the burden of proof.

• Creates a stormwater fund to receive all utility fee revenues, establishes a three-member appeals board (including two licensed professional engineers) to hear fee disputes, and requires administrative procedures for billing, updates every 3 years, and enforcement.