Trying to figure out a company’s policy can be really annoying-just ask anyone who’s ever tried to cancel a gym membership.
A business that owns almost a dozen commercial properties in Cambridge is raising eyebrows about a hike in stormwater fees. It’s not only about where the money goes; they say the city’s credit application process to reduce these fees is tricky and unfair.
This past summer, the city switched up how it charges for stormwater service. Before, it was part of the property tax bill, but now it shows up as its own separate charge.
How much a property owner pays depends on whether their property is residential or commercial and how many hard surfaces they have-like roofs or parking areas.
TW Properties, which runs 11 spots in Cambridge (and pays for water at five of them), feels like businesses are being hit harder than they should be. Their combined water bills recently added up to $11,000.
Heather Emberly, Office Administrator at TW Properties, talked about this on The Mike Farwell Show. She was the one trying to apply for the stormwater credit.
“Unfortunately, their credit application program isn’t very user-friendly,” she said.
Emberly explained that after getting through some basic questions on the form, she ran into a big roadblock. To finish applying, you need engineered drawings of your property.
“If you don’t have an engineered drawing for your property, you’re not able to even apply for the credit. As of the time I was speaking to them, nobody had been able to successfully complete the application, let alone get the credit back.”
The whole point of this credit is to help cover costs if companies take steps to reduce runoff-but without those drawings, you can’t even try.
Emberly also mentioned that just because you submit an application doesn’t mean it’ll get approved. So someone could pay for those expensive drawings only to have their request denied. She thinks that might be why fewer people are applying.
She said right now their main concern is looking out for their tenants.
“This isn’t my fight. It’s not about what we’re paying; we’re hearing back from them. Instead of telling each one of them they can complain to the City of Cambridge by themselves, I decided to be more of a voice for them.”
At a recent budget meeting, Emberly brought up these issues and asked council members if they’d consider changing things. She admitted dealing with city officials has been tough.
“It’s definitely been a frustrating process trying to talk to the City of Cambridge. It is definitely not being well received. Anytime I try to tell them I’m having issues, they say, ‘Oh, we’re not hearing it from anyone else,’ but I talk to the Chamber of Commerce. I talk to our tenants, there are definitely other people out there dealing with it.”
She said she reached out both her MP Connie Cody and even contacted the premier’s office but mostly got generic replies back.
The City of Cambridge told 570 News Radio that so far no applications have been approved yet; however they’ve logged 22 inquiries – three look promising – and one application has actually been submitted and is under review.
“The City recognizes that the stormwater credit application process is very new. It anticipates and supports future reviews and improvements to the process based on the public’s feedback,” it states. “City staff are happy to connect with property owners over the phone at 519-623-1340 and discuss the credit process as well as outline the eligibility requirements of the program.”
