The New Clay County Stormwater Fee: Why Many Neighbors Feel We're Paying Twice
Clay County approved a new stormwater assessment on August 25, 2026. What it costs Foxridge homeowners, who can get an exemption, and why many residents call it unfair.
CLAY COUNTY & ORANGE PARKNEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Foxridge Community - We The People
10/6/20262 min read
On August 25, 2026, after about five hours of public comment, the Clay County Board of County Commissioners voted 3–2 to approve a new stormwater assessment. It takes effect October 1, 2026.
What it means for Foxridge
The fee applies to unincorporated Clay County, which includes Foxridge. The cities of Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights and Penny Farms are excluded. Single-family homes will pay about $51 to $161 a year. The amount depends on your property's "impervious surface": roof, driveway, patio and sidewalks. It will show up as a separate line on your property tax bill. It is not counted as a property tax, but you pay it the same way.
The county says the money will fund more than $30 million in stormwater improvements.
Why many residents call it unfair
We already pay for drainage. County services, including roads and drainage, have always been paid for out of the county budget, and that budget is funded by the property taxes we already pay. Now we are asked to pay a second time, under a different name. A fair question for the county: if stormwater now has its own fee, will the property tax we pay for the same services go down? So far, nobody has said it will.
It adds no value to our homes. In Florida, a special assessment is legal only if the property paying it receives a special benefit and the cost is fairly divided. Many homeowners don't see that benefit. Their drainage works the same as before, their home is worth no more, and some neighborhood drainage easements have gone without maintenance for years. A fee that adds nothing to your property feels like a tax by another name.
Who created the problem? Many speakers at the hearing pointed to rapid new development as the main cause of stormwater pressure. Yet existing homeowners are now asked to pay the bill.
We were heard, but not listened to. A similar $60 flat fee was proposed in 2019 and dropped after residents pushed back. This time, hundreds of residents spoke against it and it passed anyway.
Exemptions: check if you qualify
Financial hardship: a 100% exemption for households at or below the poverty-level income.
Permanently and totally disabled veterans: on September 11, 2026, commissioners restored the full 100% exemption, after first cutting it to 50%.
Contact Clay County to apply, and share this with any neighbor who may qualify.
What you can do
Check the stormwater line on your property tax bill when it arrives.
Ask your County Commissioner how the fee will be offset in the county budget.
Speak up at commission meetings. Public comment changed the veterans' exemption in just two weeks.
Foxridge Community – We The People is an independent group of neighbors. We don't collect dues and we don't take sides with any official body. We just believe residents deserve clear facts and a real voice.
This article is for general information and reflects the opinion of residents; it is not legal or tax advice.
Sources:
Get in touch
Address
Foxridge Orange Park, FL - 32065 USA