Stormwater fees could rise for all Charlotte-Mecklenburg households

Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents will likely be paying higher stormwater fees soon. City Council voted last night to raise rates on all homeowners by 5 percent, adding about 30 cents to residents' monthly bills. But they scrapped a controversial plan that would've charged larger homes significantly higher rates. Smaller homes would've saved a couple dollars a month. Matthew Ridenhour is one of dozens of people who protested the fee hike on larger homes, saying it was hastily prepared. "We're glad that not only the city has decided to stick with the two-tier structure, but that the county also wants to keep the two-tier structure and re-examine in the future the stormwater fee structure," says Ridenhour. Staff in the Charlotte Mecklenburg stormwater department proposed the change because they said it was a fairer system. This week they backed away from that recommendation. County commissioners have a say, too. They'll decide whether to stay with the current system next week.