Jackson council to pause stormwater fee work amid push for statewide policy

Jackson’s Town Council is scheduled to spend part of its April 20 workshop reviewing a proposed policy framework for stormwater-utility fees, including what “level of service” the public would receive, how fees could be calculated, and whether a credit program should be capped. The item is informational and staff is not asking for a vote. Town Council Workshop Agenda Packet

In the staff report, Public Works recommends pausing additional presentations and implementation steps because the Wyoming Legislature signaled interest in a statewide approach to stormwater management and utility funding. Staff cites two failed 2026 bills (SF0116 and HB0141) and notes that Laramie and Cheyenne have repealed their stormwater fees, dissolving their surface drainage utility funds. Town Council Workshop Agenda Packet

The packet outlines preliminary building blocks for a future program, including adding two full-time positions (a stormwater engineer focused on regulations/inspections and a stormwater manager/administrator), contracting for water-quality testing and maintenance, and maintaining capital funding for infrastructure upgrades. It also describes a common fee model based on an “Equivalent Residential Unit” tied to impervious surface, plus potential discounts for on-site stormwater controls — typically with a maximum “cap” so customers still help cover fixed system costs. Town Council Workshop Agenda Packet

Council previously endorsed the Town’s Strategic Stormwater Program Plan, which aims to protect creek water quality and habitat and eventually remove Flat Creek from the state’s 303(d) impaired-waters list. The packet says the Town’s stormwater program planning work has cost $508,518 plus a $178,515 contract increase for fee-structure work, offset by $215,364 in grant funding. Town Council Workshop Agenda Packet