Following a public hearing on Jan. 15 at which nearly 200 residents voiced concerns, Los Angeles County officials decided to rethink the county’s proposed stormwater parcel fee. The goal of the fee was to raise $290 million per year to improve stormwater management and comply with new state regulations.

However, as a result of the Jan. 15 hearing, a majority of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called for withdrawing the proposed ballot measure, deferring a vote, despite the fact that only 5% of affected property owners filed protests (50% is the amount required to stop the measure automatically).

Some supervisors want to kill the proposal indefinitely, while others are open to placing a revised measure on a general election ballot in 2014. Through this method, the measure will need a two-thirds majority to pass. The supervisors are requesting a more substantial credit for property owners, a sunset date for the fee, and a list of fee-funded projects.