SAN CLEMENTE : New Fee to Pay for Storm Drain Repairs

Homeowners will soon pay an extra $2.96-per-month fee to help the city raise about $1 million annually for much-needed storm drain repairs.

The City Council on Wednesday formally adopted the fee on a 3-1 vote. It includes various charges for all property owners in the community, even those with undeveloped parcels.

Until now, the city has never had a stable source of funds to maintain and make storm drain repairs, officials said. Consequently, the city has made minimal repairs over the years, except in cases of emergency.

City Engineer William Cameron has estimated that all 3.3 miles of old corrugated metal storm drain pipes need to be replaced in the next 10 years.

Without the needed repairs and maintenance, there could be increased risks of flooding, personal injury and property damage, officials said.

Councilman Thomas Lorch cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the fee should only pay for repairs, not operation and maintenance expenses. Mayor Truman Benedict was absent.

The new storm drain fee will become effective in 30 days and appear on the bimonthly water and sewer bills received by property owners.

In a related action, the City Council agreed to seek applications from construction companies to work on an estimated $1.4-million project to triple the capacity of the Segunda Deshecha Canada drainage channel from El Camino Real to the ocean.

The drainage channel, sections of which are owned by the city and county, flooded in January during heavy rains, destroying Ernesto’s Italian Villa and Holiday Beach Motel on El Camino Real. The city and county will share costs to expand the channel.

If construction on the channel begins by next April, the city will also receive about $186,000 in emergency funds for the project from the Federal Highway Administration.

Officials say work on the channel must also be finished by next March to make way for county construction of the North Beach commuter rail station.