Anniston residents to begin paying stormwater fees

Property owners in The city of Anniston will begin paying an annual fee beginning in September to help cover maintenance costs for the city's aging stormwater system.  The city has announced  plans to enact the fees by Sept. 30 on residential and most non-residential property owners. The fees, which the Calhoun County Department of Revenue will include on annual property tax bills, could provide a steady source of money to help maintain and repair Anniston's deteriorating stormwater drainage system.  The Anniston City Council is set to vote on the fees in its Monday meeting. In the meantime, the council has given the city manager the go-ahead during its recent work session to set up the fee structure with the Revenue Department.  The fees are possible through a state law passed in April, which among other things allows cities to recover some of the costs associated with federal stormwater runoff regulations. The city plans to charge the maximum allowed — $10 per year for residential property owners and 5 cents per 1,000 square feet for non-residential property owners, capped at $3,000 per year.  The law only applies if a structure exists on the property and it exempts utilities and agriculture from the fee.