For years, Burlington residents seeking help with flooding or stormwater issues relied on a system that was often first-come, first-served. Now, that approach is changing.

The Burlington City Council adopted a shift in how it decides which stormwater-related projects receive funding on March 3. 

Amy Barber, assistant director of water resources in Burlington, said the new system aims to bring structure and equity to a process that previously lacked clear criteria. 

“We didn’t have a way to equitably fund these projects,” Barber said. “We would just try to fund them as the applications came in. But there was really no prioritization.”

That meant less severe issues could be addressed before more urgent ones. Barber described cases where a homeowner dealing with a minor nuisance flooding might receive funding before someone facing significant damage, simply because their application came in sooner.

The Burlington Water Resources Department has introduced a formal prioritization system to determine which stormwater projects receive funding through the city’s 80/20 Cost Share Program, where the city’s budget covers 80% of program costs.

The updated prioritization system scores projects across four categories: public benefit, property damage, public utilities, and community and equity. Each category includes specific criteria, such as where flooding impacts major roadways or residences. 

In the new system, projects that pose higher risks to safety or cause significant property damage are expected to rise to the top of the list. 

“If someone’s livable space is being flooded or impacted, then they’re going to score higher than if it’s just a nuisance,” Barber said.

The city is still grappling with the long-term impacts of development patterns that predate today’s stormwater regulations. 

City Manager Bob Patterson, who previously oversaw stormwater operations, said that before 2007, the city did not require developers to install stormwater control methods. 

As a result of this, Patterson said many older neighborhoods within the city lack infrastructure designed to slow and manage runoff. 

“Everything that was developed before that did not require any kind of stormwater control measures,” Patterson said. “In the newer areas, we don’t have as many stormwater complaints for volume and flooding.”

Barber said one goal of the new prioritization system is to serve those communities better. 

“I hope it benefits everybody, but it’s really upgrading some of this failing and stormwater infrastructure that is a priority.”

According to the City of Burlington, stormwater systems are divided into public and private categories. Public systems, such as pipes and ditches located on city property, are maintained by the city, while private systems on residential or commercial properties are the responsibility of the owner. 

Without modern controls, rainwater flows more quickly across impervious surfaces like pavement, increasing the risk of flooding downstream. 

The funding program itself has also evolved in response to rising costs. Burlington previously operated a 50/50 cost-share model, but officials found the financial burden on residents to be too great. 

“Some of these projects are $50,000,” Barber said. “For a resident to pay 50% is pretty substantial.”

The city shifted to the current 80/20 model in an effort to make stormwater management more accessible, but demand grew faster than available funding. 

Currently, the program is funded through a $7 monthly stormwater fee charged to all property owners. 

At that level, Barber said, the city can usually fund only one major project per year.

“If we get a stormwater fee change, we can potentially do three and four, really quadruple that amount of projects we can do in a year,” Barber said.

Patterson said city officials are exploring adjustments to the fee structure to generate additional revenue, though no changes have been finalized. 

Even with increased funding, Patterson said that projects would still take time. Once an application is submitted, it must go through evaluation, design, engineering and bidding before construction can begin. 

“It’s not an instant fix,” Patterson said. “There’s a process.”

For residents, the new prioritization system may mean waiting longer, but for more urgent problems to be addressed first.

Patterson said the goal is to ensure fairness while addressing the most critical needs.

“If they have a greater impact on life or safety, they’re going to score higher and hopefully be completed more quickly,” Patterson said.