At its work session Monday night, the Falls Church City Council moved forward with plans to introduce legislation forming a Storm Water Enterprise Fund that can levy fees on all property owners in the City to cover the cost of maintaining and upgrading the City’s storm water infrastructure and management.

Concerns on the Council were varied, ranging from the plan to raise a million a year for 10 years for some projects that will not get addressed until well into those 10 years, to whether or not the fee (charged according to the amount of impervious cover is on a given property) is actually not just a tax, one that if it were added to the real estate tax would amount to 5.5 cents on the tax rate, and the impact on businesses and non-profits, all of whom would be subject to the fees charged by the fund, as well. “I have more than a vague sense of unease about this,” Councilman Phil Duncan said, “We’re being asked in five weeks to create a new business.” Councilman Ira Kaylin added that one major citizen concern will be whether or not the program can be trusted to be equitable.

The Council’s final decision on whether or not to create the fund is slated for a vote at its March 27 meeting.