▼

Stormwater Assessment

Show All Answers

1. Is this a new fee?

No, this is not a new fee. Previously, this fee was assessed on a monthly basis at a rate of $7.00 per Single Family Unit (SFU) for single family parcels per month ($84.00 annually) and for non-single family parcels, rates were calculated based on pervious and impervious land (see to the right for definitions) per month. These fees were collected through the City's monthly water utility bill.

2. What's changing?

The stormwater assessment will replace the stormwater utility fee (which was charged monthly on your water utility bill) and will be collected on the annual tax bill mailed by the Brevard County Tax Collector in November. You will no longer see this monthly fee on your water utility bill but property owners will see the assessment on their annual tax bill from the Brevard County Tax Collector.

Proposed Rate Schedule:

Fiscal Year 2020 (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020) Assessment Rates for Single Family Parcels (residential)*

Tier 1: 400-2,300 sq. ft. of impervious area	Tier 2: 2,400-4,400 sq. ft. of impervious area	Tier 3: Greater than 4,400 sq. ft. of impervious area
$71.96	$110.71	$192.64

*Independent of any common area associated with your parcel.

Fiscal Year 2020 (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020) Assessment Rates for Non-Single Family Parcels

Rate per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU)

$110.71

3. Why does my rate not match what is on the residential tiered rate schedule?

Some properties are associated with a larger development (condos, subdivisions) that have common impervious area benefiting all properties. The common impervious area (parking areas, swimming pools, playgrounds, parks, pavilions, recreational courts, etc.) are equally divided among all parcels within the development. Therefore, your rate may be different than what is on the tiered rate schedule. If the common area for your development is identified as it's own parcel, the Association will be assessed independently. 

4. Why make this change?

Changing to the tiered rate structure allows the City to charge for impervious surfaces only (all property types) and allows for a more equitable method of allocating the costs of stormwater services among the properties that benefit from the services. The new structure allows a property’s fees to more accurately and equitably reflect its impact to the City's stormwater system.

5. What is pervious surface area?

Pervious surface area is the area on a property that is not developed or covered by hard surface.

6. What is impervious surface area?

It is the area on a property which is covered by hard surface that does not absorb water and impedes the natural flow of water into the soil. In general, impervious surfaces include hard surfaces such as buildings, decks, driveways, walkways, parking lots, and compacted and other hard surfaces.

7. What services does the City provide for stormwater management?

The City provides services to reduce flooding and improve water quality, to operate and maintain existing stormwater facilities and to monitor and restore the health of our water resources. We also provide outreach efforts to help educate residents about stormwater.

8. What benefits will the assessment provide and how soon will we see improvements?

The stormwater assessment will enable the City to reduce the occurrence of street and structural flooding, provide for a more resilient Cocoa, increase the maintenance of the stormwater systems, increase the frequency of storm system repair, reduce run-off-caused pollution, and improve water quality. Projects have been prioritized and a 10 year Capital Improvement Plan has been developed. You can visit www.CocoaFL.org/stormwaterassessment to see the plan and get a detailed list of some of the upcoming projects.

9. Who is impacted by the stormwater assessments?

Only those property owners inside the City limits of Cocoa will be impacted by the stormwater assessment.

10. Will the revenues generated by the stormwater assessment be used for the City’s General Fund on other projects?

No, the revenues generated will only be used for Stormwater Capital Improvement Projects and maintenance related activities. A copy of the 10 year Capital Improvement Plan for the stormwater system can be found at our Stormwater Assessment website.

11. What are the advantages of charging for this assessment through the tax bill as opposed to the water utility bill?

This method of collection saves on billing fees and other administrative costs and allows for a more guaranteed method of collection.

12. How will this affect condominium properties?

If a condo complex uses a master meter and includes utility fees in association fees, the change to the amount of association fees charged to condo owners is at the discretion of the association, but the master utility bill will no longer include the stormwater fees. Condo owners will have this charge billed now as part of their annual tax bill through the Brevard County Tax Collector’s Office.

13. How did the City determine impervious area?

The impervious area information is based on the data obtained in the Brevard County Property Appraisers datasets. You can visit the Stormwater Assessment website to view your property on a map and see the impervious areas determined for your property.

14. What if I find a discrepancy in the impervious area determined for my property?

All property owners are able to submit an appeal form if they feel the impervious area was not accurately determined for their property. The appeal form can be found at the Stormwater Assessment website. A representative from the Stormwater Division will be in contact to review the appeal form.

15. What is stormwater runoff?

Stormwater runoff is generated from the water that flows from a parcel based on the amount of pervious and impervious surfaces during rainstorms. In addition to being absorbed into the ground, it flows into ditches, culverts, drainage pipes and directly into creeks, lakes, springs, and rivers.

16. Why is stormwater runoff a problem?

Stormwater can carry harmful pollutants, cause flooding, erode topsoil and stream banks.

17. Will I receive a credit adjustment for previous stormwater fees made?

The stormwater assessment will go in to effect as of October 1, 2019. Credits will not be processed for payments made under the previous rate structure.

18. What is the process for finalizing the assessment?

The Cocoa City Council conducted a first reading of the proposed rate resolution on August 28, 2019 at the regularly scheduled Cocoa City Council meeting. Council then considered the proposed rates for final adoption following a public hearing on September 11, 2019 at the regularly scheduled Cocoa City Council meeting. The proposed changes have been adopted, the new rates will take effect as of October 1, 2019 and will be billed for the year (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020) on your tax bill, which will be mailed by the Brevard County Tax Collector’s Office in November 2019.

19. Where can I get more information on this proposed assessment?

A website has been established which provides information on the proposed rate schedules, gives more frequently asked questions, provides a link to the 10 year Capital Improvement Plan for proposed stormwater projects, provides a link to the map showing property owners the impervious area of their property, has a link to the appeals form and provides contact information for the City’s Stormwater Division website. You can e-mail the City’s Stormwater Division at stormwater@cocoafl.org or visit the Stormwater Assessment website.