November 02, 2020
The City of Johns Creek is beginning an assessment analysis of a potential stormwater utility fee for all property owners. The stormwater utility fee would be used to operate and fund a stormwater management program and is seen as a critical component of an effective stormwater maintenance and operations funding mechanism.
Stormwater runoff and its effects are a growing concern for the city. Maintaining and improving the stormwater system is important in order to prevent flooding and property damage, and to protect our quality of life in Johns Creek.
A stormwater utility provides a funding mechanism with fees based on the amount of impervious surface on a property, which has been proven to correlate directly with impacts on the stormwater system.
The utility fees are required to be applied equitably to all property owners, including tax exempt properties. Most stormwater utilities have different rates for residential and non-residential property.
The city is currently conducting a rate study and results from the study, along with analytical program recommendations, will be provided in the coming months. City Council approval is required to establish the final fee, which is expected to occur in 2021.
Many municipalities in the metro Atlanta area have enacted stormwater utility programs to address aging infrastructure and potential future stormwater damage and repair costs. The following table provides examples of several stormwater utilities in metro Atlanta and their fees.
Stormwater Utility Rates
| Jurisdictions |
Monthly Rate |
| DeKalb County |
$4.00 |
| Dunwoody |
$6.39 |
| Duluth |
$5.16 |
| Gwinnett County |
$6.15* |
| Lawrenceville |
$5.00 |
| Peachtree Corners |
$6.15* |
| Roswell |
$4.15 |
*Based on property with 3,000 SF impervious surface
Addressing Stormwater Needs and Issues
The city is responsible for stormwater structures and conveyances that are located in the right-of-way.
In 2019, the city commissioned a citywide stormwater system assessment on more than 32,000 total assets, which include headwalls, catch basins, drop inlets, and pipes.
Following the assessment results, in June 2020 City Council reached consensus to take future action to expand the city’s extent of service to include headwall to headwall. Please note that this does not include service for ditches, streams, swales, or detention/retention ponds.
Property owners are required to maintain the operations of private stormwater drainage systems located on their property, including but not limited to all easement, channels, detention basins, retention ponds, and other impoundments.
For more information, please visit the Stormwater Utility Program webpage and review the Frequently Asked Questions section on the city website.