(1) The city of North Bend has been and continues to maintain an extensive stormwater drainage system in a climate with dramatic amounts of rainfall. The system includes open ditches, closed piping, catch basins, manholes, tide gates, and stream channels, all of which require regular maintenance and upgrading.

(2) Due to age, portions of the system need to be completely replaced.

(3) The amount of stormwater to be processed through the city’s stormwater drainage system increases with the increasing levels of development in the city. The increased development creates more impervious areas which put a greater demand on the stormwater system. This results in the need for the planning, design, and maintenance of existing and future stormwater systems.

(4) It is anticipated within the next two years the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will be enacting regulations which may require increased capital expenditures to upgrade the stormwater system.

(5) The city currently does not have the resources from the general fund and the state gas tax fund to maintain the stormwater system in an adequate fashion. Past methods of handling the cost of stormwater problems have included charging the cost to sanitary sewer user fees, the general fund, state gas tax funds and other sources, all of which were not sufficient.

(6) It would be more efficient and more equitable to charge the cost of handling stormwater to those who contribute to the stormwater problem. Determining the impervious areas of the properties contributing to the stormwater is an appropriate measure for determining what financial contribution should come from various properties.

(7) It is necessary, in order to protect and promote the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the city of North Bend, that the storm sewer system within the city continue to be operated, maintained, and upgraded as necessary and that a user fee system be established to ensure adequate funding for this ongoing operation. (Ord. 1965 § 1, 2007)