Business Plan Development

A strategic business plan begins the process of establishing a legally defensible basis for a city or county Stormwater Utility Program implementation project. The document represents the first step in determining the level of service and cost of service for the storm water program. City and county staff can utilize the Business Plan document as a management tool to assist them in moving the storm water program to an organized required minimum level of service over the next five years. Discussing, understanding and reaching consensus on the content of the document will accomplish this objective. The initial business plan includes goal statements that provide the definition for current and future responsibilities and activities that equate to costs of providing those services for the stormwater utility program for the next five year period. There are also goal statements representing what the stormwater utility program will not provide and will not have responsibility.

Discussions with city or county staff regarding the business plan will assist in evaluating current practices, procedures, policies and staffing that will be necessary to meet the future needs of the program.

The Business Plan Development Steps

  • Develop a mission statement that will guide the program and identify the overall purpose of the program;
  • Develop a series of goal statements to support the mission statement. Goals are the prime targets that you wish to accomplish within a specified time frame;
  • Take measures to ensure that the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) understand and accept the mission and goal statements developed for the newly created stormwater utility program;
  • Take measures to ensure that the Storm Water Advisory Committee (SWAC) and key stakeholders understand and accept the mission and goal statements developed for the newly created stormwater utility program;
  • Take measures to ensure that the elected officials understand and accept the mission and goal statements developed for the newly created stormwater utility program;
  • Take measures to ensure that the general public understands and accepts the mission and goal statements developed for the newly created stormwater utility program;
  • Periodically evaluate the plan and the goals and make any necessary adjustments based upon the stormwater utility program progress.

Main Level of Service Goal Categories

  • NPDES Permit Program Activities;
  • Drainage and Flooding;
  • Public Education;
  • Insitutional / Organizational;
  • Financial;
  • Legal;
  • Billing and Billing System.