Laramie City Council Repeals Surface Water Utility Fee

The Laramie City Council has repealed the Surface Water Utility fee that had been imposed to pay for the Surface Water Drainage Utility Fund.

Laramie Vote Follows Similar Move By Cheyenne City Council

The fee had been approved by the city council in December of 2024, but was deeply unpopular with the public. The repeal follows a similar move by the Cheyenne City Council a couple of weeks ago, and aligns with the Wyoming Association of Municipalities.

A bill in the Wyoming Legislature this past session would have forced Cheyenne and Laramie--the only two Wyoming communities to impose such fees--to put the fees to a public vote. But that bill died with the understanding that the cities would work with the Wyoming Legislature to come up with a way to pay for stormwater infrastructure.

When the Cheyenne City Council took up the fee repeal in late March, several council members said they weren't entirely happy with the repeal, but wanted to give the legislature a chance to come up with a plan for paying for stormwater infrastructure.

As was he case in Laramie, the stormwater fee plan in Cheyenne was deeply unpopular. Laramie County School District#1 had decided to sue over the Cheyenne plan.

Laramie Mayor: This Is A Matter Of Public Safety

According to a new release from the City of Laramie "Stormwater management is not just a local convenience, but an issue of public safety and environmental stewardship," says Sharon Cumbie, Laramie Mayor. "While our immediate local fee is being repealed, the reality of our infrastructure needs remains. We are choosing to step back from the utility fee structure and are exploring alternate sources of funding for the time being. We look forward to collaborating with our state partners to ensure that whatever funding mechanism we use in the future is sustainable and legally certain for all municipalities of the Cowboy State."

The release goes on to say "Laramie’s drainage system is a complex network involving over 60 miles of underground pipes, 25 detention ponds, and natural arteries like Spring Creek and the Laramie River. This infrastructure protects thousands of homes and businesses from flash flooding and prevents the accelerated erosion that leads to costly road repairs and potholes. In areas such as West Laramie, the need for modernized drainage remains a top priority for city planners to ensure long-term neighborhood viability."