CC MEETING: November 4, 2025
DATE: October 20, 2025
TO: Erin Rinehart, City Manager
FROM: Diana Vaughn, CFO
Shannon Hicks, P.E., Assistant City Manager
Title
Hold A Public Hearing To Consider Establishing A Municipal Drainage Utility System And Consider An Ordinance Amending Title XVII "Environmental Regulations" To Add A New Chapter 177 To Establish A Municipal Drainage Utility System
Body
BACKGROUND:
Local Government Code 552, Subchapter C (Municipal Drainage Utility Systems Act) delegates to municipalities the power to declare, after a public hearing, a drainage system created under this subchapter to be a public utility to protect the public health and safety in municipalities from loss of life and property caused by surface water overflows, stagnation and pollution. The public utility is a drainage service that is regularly provided by the municipality through municipal property dedicated to that service to the users of benefitted property within the service area and is based on an established schedule of charges that is nondiscriminatory, reasonable and equitable.
With the continued development in the City and the increase in impervious surface throughout the Metroplex, runoff is increasing. The City contracted with Freese & Nichols to complete a Stormwater Utility Feasibility Assessment in Spring 2025 and a Stormwater Utility Study in Summer 2025. Information was presented to the Finance Committee and the City Council throughout the Summer and Fall. Carrollton ranks 4th in the benchmark Metroplex cities in percent of floodplain. It also ranks 5th among benchmark metroplex cities in stream mile. However, we do not currently utilize a dedicated funding source to resolve drainage issues. Adoption of a municipal drainage utility would provide a dedicated funding mechanism to maintain the stormwater system to comply with Federal requirements, correct known flooding problems, prevent creek erosion, and enhance our greenway system.
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