LANCASTER : Council OKs Higher Flood Control Fee

Five months after city voters rejected a proposed flood control tax on existing dwellings, the Lancaster City Council has voted for a major increase in the drainage fee developers of new projects must pay for flood control efforts.

The fee for every new single-family house built will climb from $893.05 to $2,185, a 145% increase. The fee for new apartments and mobile homes will climb from $476.07 to $1,093, a 130% increase, the council decided by a 4-1 vote Monday.

The decision will bring Lancaster’s drainage fee into line with those already charged by neighboring Palmdale and the county. The fee increase is aimed at funding a $352-million master drainage plan for the city. In June, city residents rejected a proposed levy of $25 per existing house.