From The Denver Post (Yesenia Robles):
Adams County has temporarily converted its controversial new stormwater fee to a flat rate and will convene a citizens advisory panel in response to a rush of opposition and threats of litigation. Property owners who have already paid their bills will receive a refund, the Adams County commissioners said Monday. “By capping the fee and inviting the public to participate in the evaluation process, we are confident we can arrive at a fair and equitable solution,” commissioner Eva Henry said in a released statement.
The task force of 16 to 24 people — depending on interest — is to begin meeting by May 20 and deliver recommendations to the commissioners by Oct. 1. The board hopes to have representatives from eight areas within unincorporated Adams County, as well as one citizen from each town and city. Residents of towns and cities don’t pay the stormwater fee — enacted to cover the cost of drainage improvements countywide — but they theoretically would have to help cover the shortfalls in the county budget if there was no fee…
The flat rate will decrease the budget to about $2.2 million for 2013, from the $5.1 million originally estimated.
The following are the temporary caps that the commissioners have agreed to:
• $83 for residential
• $746 for commercial properties
• $446 for exempt properties
• $886 for industrial properties
• $131 for agricultural properties
• $886 for state-assessed properties
• $68 for mine properties