Politics
Keilor City Council Passes Revised Stormwater Management Ordinance, Aligning Fees With Regional Benchmarks
Property owners in Keilor will see annual stormwater fees calculated at $0.12 per square metre of impervious surface starting January 2027, matching the structure used in three nearby municipalities.
How we reported this
Keilor City Council voted 5-2 on July 7 to adopt a revised stormwater management ordinance that sets new fee rates for all properties based on measured impervious surfaces. The measure applies to residential, commercial and industrial parcels within city limits and replaces the prior flat-rate system. Council records show the change follows a 2025 engineering assessment that identified $4.8 million in deferred drainage repairs.
Why the ordinance comes into effect now
The vote occurred after the city completed its annual budget review in June, which projected a $1.1 million shortfall in the stormwater enterprise fund for fiscal year 2027. Under the new formula, fees will be billed quarterly alongside water and sewer charges. City staff stated the adjustment brings Keilor's rate structure into line with the per-square-metre calculations already in place in three adjacent jurisdictions that share the same watershed.
Local residents will notice the shift first on their January 2027 utility statements. A typical single-family lot of 600 square metres with 250 square metres of roof and driveway will pay $30 per quarter, or $120 annually. Multi-unit buildings will be assessed on total paved area, while commercial sites with large parking lots face higher totals. The ordinance exempts public parks and school grounds from the new charges.
Budget figures and regional comparison
According to the 2026-2027 city budget document released on June 30, the stormwater fund will collect an estimated $2.9 million under the revised rates. This figure equals $28 per resident, a level the city clerk's office noted is within $3 of the average reported by the three neighboring municipalities that adopted similar surface-based fees in 2024. The budget also allocates $850,000 of the projected revenue to replace two aging culverts on Main Street and $420,000 to expand the existing retention basin at Elm Park.
Implementation begins with property measurements conducted by the public works department between August and October 2026. Owners may request a site review if they believe the impervious-surface calculation is inaccurate. Appeals must be filed by December 15, 2026, and decisions will be issued within 30 days. The ordinance requires the council to review fee levels again in 2029 using updated rainfall data and construction cost indices.