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CENTRAL POINT — The cost of building a house will rise by $752 to cover the expense of replacing aging county-owned box culverts that city officials say could fail in a major flood.

The City Council on Thursday approved the 132 percent increase, bringing the storm drain fee for a new home to $1,322 and total system development charges on a new home to $9,750. The change takes effect next week.

More than a dozen residents were at the meeting, though few spoke on the proposed charges, assessed to new development only.

Central Point resident Shane Macuk voiced frustration that the city, which he noted already boasts the second-highest tax rate in Jackson County, was considering paying to replace "a bunch of culverts that the county owns."

Macuk said system development charges should be reserved to increase capacity for future growth, not to replace inadequate and aging infrastructure.

"The county just got $27 million in timber payments and you ask us to pay for the county's bridges?" he questioned council members. "If you vote for this, you will be held accountable."

Councilman Matt Stephenson said the culverts, county-owned or not, were crucial to protecting property owners in the event of a flood.

"The storm drain increase, I think, is especially important for us to look at right now due to all of the information we have gotten back from (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the redoing of the floodplains and so forth," he said. "There's a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure the city is safe from flood damage."

Stephenson said he was hopeful the county would work toward a solution that would relieve the city of some expense related to the culverts.

The culverts cross Horn, Jackson and Griffin creeks along Taylor Road and Griffin Creek along Pine Street.

Matt Samitore, interim community development director, said Friday that county officials indicated they may be able to contribute half the cost of replacing the culverts, which are more than 60 years old, if funding becomes available.

Samitore said the city hoped to secure grants to help with funding the culverts' replacement. He said the city was not anticipating any increased revenues anytime soon.

"We're not getting any permit applications right now," Samitore said. "In the past, we always got a sudden rush when SDC increases were coming, but since nobody is building anything right now, we don't anticipate any rushes or any revenues."

Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com.

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