PROJ02027

• Contract/PO #: FS0044FX
• Contractor Name: Larimer County, Board of County Commissioners
• Contract Type: Miscellaneous
• Water District: 0
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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since in the event of a flood, emergency resources would be required to respond to it even
though the Dry Creek floodplain is some distance from Spring Creek.

· Under the URS Plan, the proposed improvements will provide for removal and disposition of
stormwater originating within the Local Basin, whereas the 1980 GAl diversion plan only
benefited owners whose property was within the Dry Creek floodplain. Properties in the
Local Basin therefore will benefit from removal of stormwater as well as removal of the
flood hazard and related floodplain land use restrictions.

· A stormwater utility is considerably easier to administer than other mechanisms where many
small parcels each pay a small amount.

· There is a need for improvements in unincorporated parts of the Local Basin beyond those
identified in the URS Plan. The proposed fee structure for a Dry Creek Stormwater Utility
will contain a capital component to reflect the cost of those improvements as well as a
component to reflect the Local Basin benefits. Use of the stormwater utility approach

· A stormwater utility may utilize fees for the operation and maintenance of storm water
improvements to provide staffing for the activities of the utility, and to maintain the facilities
once they are built. There will be an ongoing need for services within the Local Basin, as
well as to maintain the facilities once they are built.

· Use of a stormwater utility in Colorado counties enhances the County's authority to collect
system investment fees, since the fees would be legally supported by the existence of an
operational stormwater utility.

· The use of a stormwater utility is thought to be the most equitable method of funding
stormwater improvements, since a precise relationship can be established between the
amount of runoff generated by a given property and the amount assessed to the property.

· The use of a stormwater utility by the County provides for equitable funding between City
and County. Since the two funding sources are equivalent, property owners are paying nearly
the same whether the property is within or outside the City. Division of funding
responsibilities is simply based on geographic area within the respective jurisdictions.

· The use of a stormwater utility provides flexibility in terms of future annexations by the City
of Fort Collins. Since the fee structures are very similar between City and County, areas that
are annexed simply will begin paying the fees to the City instead of the County.

Land Acquisition

The Project will require acquisition of property by Larimer County for construction of detention
storage pond embankments and outlet facilities. Property or rights to property will have to be
purchased to allow flooding ofland in the impoundments. Property will also be purchased by the
City of Fort Collins to allow construction ofthe East Vine channel for stormwater spilled from
the Larimer and Weld Canal.

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