LEWISTON – A new fee designed to recoup costs from maintaining a storm runoff system passed its final test Tuesday.

Councilors voted 5-2 to change the city’s ordinances, creating a storm water utility that will charge Lewiston property owners a fee based on the amount of storm runoff created by hard surfaces on their properties.

Councilors last month adopted the fee-rate schedule for the new utility and created some credits for property owners who try to treat storm runoff themselves.

The council adopted the concept this spring during budget deliberations, cutting $1.6 million from property taxes. The fee would replace that money, paying for maintenance of the city’s system of canals, culverts and storm drains as well as regular street sweeping and work creating a separate storm-sewer system.

Every property owner in the city pays under the plan, including the city, schools, nonprofits, churches, homeowners and businesses.

According to the plan, the city would charge a flat fee of $30 for the first 2,900 square feet of water-impervious surface. That would be the extent of the fee for most single-family homes. Duplexes and two-unit residences would pay $45. Larger properties with more flat spaces would pay more, at a rate of 4.4 cents per square foot.

Councilors Stavros Mendros and Paul Samson voted against the utility Tuesday. Samson said he was afraid it would add cost to private schools in Lewiston, making them more expensive.

“That’s a cost that comes right back to the city,” he said.

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