Windsor businessman considering moving locations due to stormwater charges

Windsor’s new stormwater fees have some business owners, like Mikhail Holdings, planning to relocate over high costs.

A local businessman is considering moving his business locations elsewhere, due to the city’s stormwater charges.

Joe Mikhail of Mikhail holdings said one of his bills shows $15 a month for water usage and $500 a month for stormwater fees.

The new stormwater financing plan went into effect at the beginning of the year, leading to businesses paying more due to having large paid parking lots and more water going into the stormwater system.

“It’s not fair,” said Mikhail.

“It’s a small amount, but it was enough to turn our heads and say, ‘you know, we’re not comfortable. Nobody’s listening to us and they’re moving on.’ And do I want to do business with people who treat business in that fashion? It makes us uncomfortable.”

He added that businesses can’t survive in the city if they have to pay extremely high bills, saying he and many others will move their businesses into Essex County or the U.S.

Mikhail owns Windsor’s Landmark Cinemas and Pancap Pharma on Howard Avenue, totalling almost two million square feet. He was planning to expand Pancap Pharma but has now put the building up for sale.

The City of Windsor said it will offer retroactive rebates to eligible residential customers to address overpayments.