House Bill No. 609, introduced by Representative Mandie Landry, aims to establish a stormwater fee assessed by the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans on every developed parcel within the city. The bill outlines a formula rate plan for calculating the fee, which will be based on the type of parcel and its impervious area. Definitions for key terms such as "developed parcel," "impervious area," and "stormwater fee" are provided to clarify the scope of the legislation. Additionally, the bill allows for disputes regarding the fee to be arbitrated according to existing law and authorizes the board to create rebate incentives for single-family residential parcels that implement stormwater management practices.

The proposed legislation also stipulates that the formula rate plan must be sufficient to fully fund the drainage system, including necessary capital improvements and debt service, with oversight from the Public Service Commission. It allows for potential reductions in the fee based on city grants for drainage infrastructure maintenance and mandates that all stormwater fees be credited against drainage millages assessed by the city. Importantly, the bill caps the stormwater fee for single-family residential parcels at 16.34 mills, ensuring that property owners are not overburdened by the new fee structure.