UPDATED: The Redmond Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is many things to many people. DNR is division of Public Works, the largest department in the city. Our utility bill pays for DNR's stormwater management costs and if you didn't notice, our rates have increased dramatically over the past few years.
Council recently held a study session on our Utility rates. Council was pleased with the value DNR brings to sustainability of our environment; however, Councilman Cole complained Redmond has the #1 stormwater rate in the area. For example, Bellevue's stormwater rate is less than half our rate.
Much of our high rate is attributable to a grandiose plan to build spend $90,000,000 on two regional stormwater facilities - in Overlake and Downtown. Commercial and high rise development costs will be significantly less since they will not have to build their own facilities or use their land. Council, obviously pro-business, decided several years ago that the residential rate-payer would front most of these facilities costs, including the very high cost of land acquisition.