The Knoxville City Council held a town hall Monday night to discuss the implementation of a stormwater utility.

City Manager Aaron Adams told attendees that without further investment in the system the DNR may require the city to expand facilities and begin treating stormwater. Adams explained that a utility is a tax allocated for a specific purpose and this levy would be earmarked for storm water repairs and improvements aimed at avoiding greater future costs. The Council’s current proposal would charge single family homes $4 per month and multifamily properties $2 per month per unit. Industrial and commercial properties with more impermeable surfaces would be taxed at the same rate, but increasing based on amount of average home areas they occupied. For example, a company with a parking lot the size of 10 homes would pay $40 per month. Those taxes would be capped at $150 industrial, $75 commercial, and $35 for schools and churches. The City Council and the Mayor indicated that they would hold another town hall to gather more input before making a decision.