LEWISTON – Some homeowners will get a chance to exempt themselves from the city’s storm water utility fee, councilors agreed Tuesday.

The change will let 146 homeowners living along Lewiston’s outer boundaries to not pay that fee if they can prove the storm water that falls on their property doesn’t drain into city maintained culverts, ditches or roads.

“The fear staff has is that this will create a ton of new work for staff, and that has a cost,” City Administrator Jim Bennett said. “Everybody that is likely to get this has already gotten an economic benefit from having the fee.”

That fee is $40 per year for single-family homes or $60 for duplexes. All others, including businesses, churches and nonprofits, pay 4.4 cents per square foot of paved or hard surface.

The city adopted the storm water utility fee – many call it a rain tax – in 2005 to pay for culvert maintenance, street-sweeping and storm-sewer projects. Fees are based on the amount of hard surface on properties, including roofs, sidewalks, parking lots and driveways.

In September, councilors extended a storm water fee credit to business owners who drain all of the storm water collecting on their property directly into the Androscoggin River, never touching the city system. Businesses that can prove that none of the rain falling on their property drains into a city system don’t have to pay the fee.

Councilors directed staff to draw up an exemption for residential property owners as well.

The new rule puts the burden on property owners to prove storm water falling on their land stays away from the city, either draining directly into the Androscoggin River or into a neighboring town.

Bennett said he expected the change would spur plenty of interest.

“Staff will be required to spend two to three hours reviewing each application,” Bennett said. “That’s not counting the 100 or so other property owners that don’t meet these requirements but will need more information.”

He estimated the new credit will reduce the city’s storm water fee revenue by $8,000 per year if all 146 properties are exempted from paying the fee.