LA County Supervisors Propose Pavement Parcel Tax

Facing federal regulatory action for violating Clean Water Act standards, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors will consider a parcel tax weighted towards a property's amount of impervious pavement to fund programs to reduce stormwater pollution.

2 minute read

January 16, 2013, 10:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


The LA County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing this week [see Agenda #40 on page 25 of Jan. 15 Agenda (PDF)] to solicit public input on a proposed parcel tax called the Clean Water, Clean Beaches Fee (agenda attachment PDF) to mitigate stormwater runoff pollution affecting both ocean and inland lake beaches.

Molly Peterson gives the backround on the problem and the proposal to address it for KQED FM's "The California Report" -  audio and podcast link is above the news story.

An ambitious proposal would tax every one of the county’s 2.2 million property owners and use the revenue to capture, filter and reuse the stormwater before it ever hits the complex storm sewer system that twists and turns under Los Angeles County's nine watersheds.

Under the latest set of stormwater rules, regulators could hit the county with millions of dollars in fines for exceeding pollution limits, both along the coast and inland.

Single family homes would pay around $50 a year. Big box stores with acres of parking lot, as much as $11,000. The program penalizes pavement. The tax is based on the size of each parcel and the amount of hard surface covering the property.

Public schools have objected to the plan as their properties would be heavily taxed. And the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental organization that one would think would support the plan, has their concerns as well about the selection criteria and where the money would be spent.

"The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is likely to take the first step toward the parcel tax by approving a ballot to send to property owners. Officials say they hope to tally up the vote by mail in March, and collect revenue beginning this summer."

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 in The California Report

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

April 28 - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

April 28 - The Sacramento Bee