Politics
River North City Council Approves Stormwater Fee Ordinance with Phased Rollout Beginning July 2027
River North residents will see an average $12 monthly increase on utility bills starting in July 2027 to fund drainage projects in the downtown and riverfront districts.
How we reported this
At its regular meeting on July 7, the River North City Council passed a stormwater utility fee ordinance on a 6-3 vote. The measure creates a dedicated revenue stream for drainage upgrades and applies to all residential and commercial properties connected to the municipal sewer system.
Why the Ordinance Passed Now
The council acted after the public works department documented 312 flood complaints in the 2025 calendar year, concentrated along the North River corridor and in the central business district. City records show that existing general fund allocations for stormwater maintenance have declined by 18 percent since 2022, leaving several aging pump stations without scheduled replacement parts. The new fee structure separates these costs from the property tax levy, a change first recommended in the 2025 capital improvement plan adopted last December.
Property owners in the 60654 and 60611 zip codes will receive the first adjusted bills in July 2027. Single-family homes will pay a base rate of $18 per month, while multifamily buildings will be assessed per unit at $9. Commercial parcels will face rates scaled to lot size, with the largest downtown offices projected to pay between $180 and $420 monthly. The ordinance includes a low-income hardship credit administered through the city’s existing utility assistance program, which served 1,840 households in fiscal 2025.
Payment Schedule and Project Sequencing
Collections begin July 1, 2027, and will generate an estimated $4.2 million in the first full fiscal year according to the finance department’s March 2026 revenue model. The first construction contracts, covering replacement of two riverfront pump stations, are scheduled for award in the fourth quarter of 2027. Residents in the Northside neighborhood, where 47 properties experienced repeated basement flooding in 2025, can expect visible work on new catch basins by spring 2028. Full system upgrades across the four priority drainage basins are projected to conclude by December 2030.
City staff will hold three public information sessions in October 2026 at the River North Public Library to explain billing calculations and the credit application process. Property tax statements mailed in November 2026 will include a one-page insert summarizing the fee schedule and project map. Appeals for the hardship credit must be filed by March 31, 2027, to affect the initial billing cycle.