Bowling Green City Commission votes on stormwater fee update

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – During Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, the City of Bowling Green voted on an ordinance pertaining to a fee in lieu of construction, or FILOC. This is a stormwater utility fee that would help make sure the stormwater system is the best it can be.

“That revenue stream will be dedicated to assessments and urgent repairs, and as we complete those assessments and repair the worst of the worst, then we’ll be able to project from that… where do we need to be in ten years, where do we need to be in 20 years, and then we can figure out how to budget for those needs as we move forward,” city environmental manager Matt Powell says.

He says a similar fee like this has been in discussion since at least 1999, and he’s hopeful this time will be the one to finally pass it.

“We’ve got a full year worth of public education and opportunities to meet with folks and make sure that everybody understands what we’re doing. All of the other provisions take effect immediately. The FILOC only applies to new developments that disturb more than an acre, and add more than 10,000 square feet of new, impervious surface,” Powell says.

If it does pass, the FILOC, which would be paid on new developments only, would go into effect then, while a stormwater utility fee that would be paid by all property owners in the city, would go into effect in January of 2027.

The city also approved a near two million dollar street paving project that will be in the works soon, as well as officially renaming Cypress Wood Lane by Greenwood High School to Gator Way.

News 40 will keep you updated as we learn more on these projects.