Please refer to the Stormwater Asset Management Plan and Funding Assessment report prepared by Watson & Associates. On Page 3-3 there is a detailed list of all operating and capital activities required for each type of stormwater assets including ponds. 

The 6 pond locations are as follows: 

•  Terry Fox, 965 Frasor Court

•  Burnham (Water Tower), 60 Strathy Road 

•  Densmore Road, 128 Densmore Road 

•  Read/Otto, 959 Otto Drive 

•  Chris Garret Park, 990 Birchwood Trail   

•  Foote Cres (Brook Meadows), Foote Crescent

Laurie Wills, Director of Public Works

Please refer to the Development Charges By-law 2022-001 and the Development Charge Background Study, dated November 5, 2021 as prepared by Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. Stormwater Management services are included in development charges by-law however development charges are specifically collected for capital investments in infrastructure ie. the initial construction of all new infrastructure required for each development. The stormwater user fee considers growth for when the Town assumes ownership of the new infrastructure from a development and the costs required to budget for operations, maintenance, and lifecycle replacement.

Please indicate where you feel the infrastructure in the downtown and historical districts is 'antiquated'? All infrastructure (assets) within the Town of Cobourg is required by the Province to have an Asset Management Plan in place by July 1, 2025. Currently Public Works is completing one aspect of the plan for all core assets which include stormwater, water, sanitary, bridges and roads. Each asset will have a condition assessment either physically conducted or assigned based on age/material, etc. Each asset has an established lifecycle (how long it lasts), assigned rehab activities (ie. resurfacing, crack sealing), and a risk/consequence of failure evaluation. Each of these criteria are what drives the capital and operating budgets associated with the assets and determines their priority. Asset management requires a 10 year forecasted financial plan (including how the plan is to be funded) for all assets which is what has now been completed for the Town's stormwater management assets and why there is a stormwater user fee being proposed.

Laurie Wills, Director of Public Works
lwills@cobourg.ca 

Stormwater management currently has had an operating budget of ~$400k which will in future be absorbed by the new Stormwater Rate and reduced from the Operating budget. There will be a decrease in the operating budget that is funded by the Tax Levy related to stormwater management which will be evident by the allocation of recoveries for activities such as streetsweeping and stormwater pump stations. There will also be new activities added to the operating budget as part of the new stormwater management program including CCTV of sewers, and staffing to conduct the work so it is expected that the general tax levy will not be reduced substantially as a result of the stormwater management plan. The stormwater rate is not considered to be part of the tax levy, but instead a user fee similar to water and wastewater user fees that are invoiced on your utility bill.