The current drainage basin fee program originated with the original drainage ordinance adopted by the City in 1963. The purpose of the ordinance was to address the urgent necessity of providing drainage and flood control facilities within developing areas to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the public. A fee per acre was established for each drainage basin in the City, with the intent of creating an equitable distribution of drainage costs in the development community.
The City of Colorado Springs uses engineering studies of drainage basins, called Drainage Basin Planning Studies (DBPSs), to identify drainage improvements needed in the City's fee basins and to establish drainage fees for development to pay for some of the needed drainage improvements. Fees are adjusted annually to account for inflation and local cost trends. Drainage fees are collected by the City at the time of subdivision plat recordation.
A new developer in a basin is responsible for providing drainage facilities and conveying stormwater runoff to an outfall point per the master drainage plan for that basin. If the cost of the facilities exceed the amount the developer is required to pay per the established fee, then he/she is eligible for reimbursement from the fees other developers in the basin are required to pay.
The current fee schedule and DBPSs are available at the following locations:
- 2024 Drainage Fee Schedule
- 2023 Drainage Fee Schedule
- 2022 Drainage Fee Schedule
- 2021 Drainage Fee Schedule
- 2020 Drainage Fee Schedule
- Drainage Basin Planning Studies
Additional information about the drainage basin fee program can be found at the following locations: