STORMWATER PROGRAM OPEN HOUSE

HANOVER BOROUGH, YORK COUNTY

November 27, 2018

 What has the Borough been working on with stormwater?

• Commissioned an external (year long) audit / study of their stormwater

program, staffing, operations, funding, etc. to understand what
services are provided, how they are delivered and how they are paid
for.
• Formed a Stormwater Advisory Committee to help in this audit/study
to solicit community feedback and perspectives.
• SAC took information from the study to develop recommended
services and funding strategies for the future. Borough and consultant
took information to council to devise an improvement and sustainable
stormwater program.
 Stormwater Advisory Committee

Name Representative
Chuck Hegberg Borough Planning / Stormwater
Professional
David Benfield Commercial Sector
Deb Kronsteiner Environmental Advocate
George Skalias North Pointe Condos
Ralph Jodice Rotary Club
Roland Acevedo Industrial (Utz)
Russel Gould Pinnacle Health
Scott Roland Hanover Area School Board
 Hanover Borough – Stormwater Program

What was the SAC Role?

- To be educated about Stormwater both in general terms and as a
Borough responsibility.
- Provide feedback to influence the development of a more sustainable
and effective Stormwater Management Program.
- Represent a particular “area of interest” relative to stormwater services
and benefits
- Educate others about current and future levels of services for the
Borough’s stormwater program.
 Hanover Borough – Stormwater Program

Audit / Study Goals were to;

 Assess & Evaluate Current Stormwater Program

 Identify Gaps and Deficiencies
 Develop Program Priorities and Goals (P&G)
 Refine / Discuss Preliminary Gaps, Priorities and Strategies
 Align Program with Preliminary Budgeting / Cost Centers
 Refine Strategies / Discuss Current & New Funding Strategies
 Review GIS Data Assessment for Impervious Area Coverage
 Reevaluate Priorities and Goals
 Final Report and Recommendations to Council
 What makes a successful stormwater program?

 Improve quality of water (both locally and on watershed level)

 Maintain compliance with applicable permitting

 Maintain and improve the current stormwater assets

 Maintain financial sustainability

 Local Watersheds

Plum Creek
Plum Creek is a tributary of the South Branch
Conewago Creek. The Plum Creek watershed is
approximately 590 acres, covering about 24% of
Hanover.

North Tributary
North Tributary of the South Branch Conewago
Creek is located along the northern boundary of
the Borough. The North Tributary Watershed is
approximately 1,174 acres, or 48% of Hanover.

Oil Creek
Oil Creek drains from the eastern part of the
Borough through Penn Township. The Oil Creek
Watershed is approximately 657 acres, or 27% of
Hanover.
Bigger Picture: Chesapeake Bay Watershed
 Obligations due to Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL)

Chesapeake Bay Plan is a TMDL Plan (pollution diet)

Adopted in December 29, 2010 - Largest TMDL ever developed by EPA

Plan is to be completed by 2025, currently past the halfway point

(where 60% goals were intended to be met but are currently are behind schedule)
Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP’s) is in progress

6 States and District of Columbia participate in the TMDL Plan by way of

WIP’s and mandating Pollutant Reduction Plans (PRPs) to help shape and
ensure successes for the obligations of a WIP and the Bay TMDL
 What is the need?

Ongoing Oversight: EPA, while having no significant concerns with a jurisdictional strategy to
implement the TMDL goals, will continue to monitor progress.
Enhanced Oversight: EPA, having identified specific concerns with a jurisdictional strategy to
implement the TMDL goals, may take additional Federal actions, as
necessary, to ensure that the jurisdiction stays on-track.
Backstop Action Levels: EPA, having identified substantial concerns with a jurisdictional
strategy to implement the TMDL goals, has taken necessary Federal
actions to help the jurisdiction get back on-track.
 What is the need? – Improved Maintenance

• An aging infrastructure approaching its intended design life

 What is the need? – Improvement Strategy

• Construction of drainage improvement projects (to alleviate flooding,

increase efficiency, improve life and water quality in community)
 Lack of a Proactive Maintenance Program

The Borough has 4 miles of metal stormwater pipe buried in the ground
i No CCTV program to evaluate and prioritize pipe repairs or replacement
i 2017 was the first year that the Borough has allocated monies in the Budget to repair or
replace pipe that is not a failure (emergency repair) or aligned with a street project.

The Borough has over 1,600+ drainage inlets

i No drainage inlet inspection and maintenance program (to ensure structural suitability
and efficiency)
i Inlets repairs are only conducted when they fail or in advance of street projects.

The Borough has over 6 miles of open drainage channels

i No comprehensive maintenance plan for the upkeep and inspection of these facilities
 Identified Borough Stormwater Costs

 Capital Projects –improve, rehabilitate, or otherwise construct

stormwater management facilities.
 Planning & Permitting Compliance –planning effort for projects or
permits and costs for permit compliance, including fees and public
outreach efforts.
 Staff & Equipment Resources–operating within the Public Works, I&I,
and Office Staff.
 Maintenance –maintaining existing facilities or structures. It can
include repairs, mowing operations, street sweeping, etc.
 In-House Projects – This includes those projects that are undertaken
by Borough employees.
 Pollutant Reduction Planning (PRP) & Projects – York County
Consortium annual fee for implementation of PRP Projects.
 How Are User / Utility Fees for Stormwater Calculated?

• Impervious area (where stormwater doesn’t soak into the ground) can
be a link relating the parcel and amount of the fee.
• The use of an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) approach is the most
widely used, according to 2017 Western Kentucky Univ. Study. For the
purposes of the funding study, we are using this method to evaluate a
utility fee.
• Collecting impervious data is getting less expensive with time because
new public data is being captured and offered.
 How can a Stormwater User / Utility Fee be Administered?

It can be assessed and managed much like a sewer, water or trash fee. It
is a payment for a specific service, unlike a “tax”.

• Residential properties can be assessed a flat fee based on the average

values of impervious coverage in the Borough, often known as an ERU
(Equivalent Residential Unit).
• Non-Residential properties would be assessed based on their total
impervious coverage, divided by the value of an ERU.
– How many single family residences worth of coverage does this
property contribute?

1 ERU Total Impervious Cover / 9 ERUs

 Impervious Area (IA) Capture

- Borough has approx. 4,856

Residential parcels
- Excluded 191 “Vacant” or
“Auxiliary” Land Use Descriptions
- Analysis sampled 225 Single
Family Residential parcels
considering geographic
distribution and average lot size
- Median Value for IA from sample
set is 2,250 square feet
 Tiered ERU Approach Evaluation
- The Borough has large variation of land (residential, commercial,
industrial, etc.…)
- Analysis considered a three tier ERU approach for SFR
- The median SFR lot size has been determined as 6,011 sq ft.
- SFR parcels that are centered on the median lot size (within 0.7 to
1.3 of the median) comprise the MID tier and would each be
assessed a single Billing Unit (BU).
- SFR parcels (below 0.7 of the median) comprise the SMALL tier, and
for this analysis will each be assessed 0.75 BU.
- SFR parcels that are above 1.3 of the median comprise the LARGE
tier and will each be assessed 1.25 BU.

Relation to # of RES BU per

Tier Group Median Range in SQ FT parcels parcel Total BU
Tier 1 – Small < 0.7 0 – 4,208 1,419 0.75 1,064
Tier 2 – Mid > 0.7 and < 1.3 4,208 – 7,814 1,797 1 1,797
Tier 3 – Large > 1.3 7,814 – end 1,640 1.25 2,050
Grand Totals: 4,856 4,911
 Funding as Tax

To raise needed revenue using tax would require an estimated 20% increase in
tax millage (approx. $175 / year for typ. residence)
 Funding as Utility Fee

Using model of “payment for service as utility fee” more equitably distributes
the program cost (based on impervious coverage)
So…what are the compelling reasons to change how the Borough
funds and manages stormwater?

• Stormwater related costs continue to increase due to mandates and a

reactive approach to asset management
• Current revenue source is not sustainable
• Create an enterprise fund specifically for stormwater, which could
offset a portion of fiscal demands for other utilities (i.e., sanitary sewer
rehabilitation)
Priorities for Borough to refine how it delivers and funds stormwater
management services:
1. Establish an operating Stormwater Authority for the purpose
of providing a singular entity of appointed community members
to be responsible for stormwater program. This was newly
created on October 24th at the Borough Council Meeting
2. Shift funding from “reserve” funds to enterprise fund
established by the Stormwater Authority and managed by the
Borough, with all funding to be dedicated to stormwater only.
3. Establish funding source based on service / user fee (tied to
land use type and impervious coverage).
4. Review and adjustments will be continuously made as needed.