On December 22, 2016, the Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board issued its Determination on the Special Rate Discount for eligible community gardens. Based on information supplied by the Water Department and testimony from organizations and citizens, the Board has approved a 100 percent special discount for community gardens effective January 1, 2017.
Read more below about the rate process and how the determination was made.
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On June 28, 2016, Mayor James F. Kenney signed an ordinance passed by Philadelphia City Council that allows community gardens a special discounted rate for stormwater management services.
The ordinance directs the Philadelphia Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board (Rate Board) to establish a special discounted stormwater charge, in an amount up to and including 100%, for approved community gardens. As a result, the Board may exempt community gardens from paying a monthly stormwater charge, as long as the gardens meet the criteria in the ordinance.
More Information on The Request For Changes To Existing Stormwater Charges
The most important criteria a community garden must meet are:
- the property’s principal use is for growing plants,
- a community group operates the garden for public benefit, and
- stormwater is sustainably managed on at least 80% of the property.
On July 20, 2016, community garden representatives requested that the Water Department initiate a proceeding before the Rate Board to consider the stormwater charge exemption. The Water Department’s current filing with the Rate Board is to initiate the Board’s review and determination of the special discounted rate for approved community gardens.A financial analysis has determined that a 100% stormwater rate discount to known community gardens for the current rate period which began on July 1, 2016 and ends June 30, 2018 would result in lost revenue to the Philadelphia Water Department estimated to be $46,490 in FY2017 and $48,374 in FY2018, for a total of $94,864 over the current Rate Period.
If a full stormwater charge exemption is granted to community gardens, the revenue loss to the Water Department is small enough that all other existing rates and charges will not increase for the remainder of the current Rate Period. This means that no other customer will pay more for water, sewer and storm water service if the community garden exemption is granted.
Registered Participants
- Neighborhood Gardens Trust: jgreenberg@pennhort.org
- Norris Square Neighborhood Project: justin@myneighborhoodproject.org
- Village of Arts and Humanities: aviva@villagearts.org