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Item 34 Staff Report Report Regarding Residential Multi-Family Curbside Recycling and Commercial Waste Recycling ProgramsCOUNCIL AGENDA DATE: 1/16/90 ITEM NO: TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT DATE: January 11, 1990 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: DEBORAH ACOSTA, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS RECOMMENDATION: That Council direct Staff to continue to work with the West Valley Rate Review Committee and Green Valley Disposal Company, Inc. (GVDC) to refine and implement the plans described below for expansion of the Curbside Recycling Program to serve multi -family residential units and businesses. BACKGROUND: This report is presented in response to Council's request for a plan to expand the Curbside Recycling Program to serve multi -family residential units and businesses. DISCUSSION: Staff developed the West Valley Curbside Recycling Program in cooperation with representatives of the other three West Valley Cities (Saratoga, Monte Sereno, and Campbell) which comprise a committee commonly referred to as the Rate Review Committee. (Continued on page 2) PREPARED BY: Regina A. Falkner, Mana Community Services Divi RAF:dr CSD05:A:\CNCLRPTS\GARB.TC Reviewed by: Attorney TOWN COUNCIL ACTION DIRECTED TO: ACTION OF COUNCIL: PAGE TWO MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 DISCUSSION: (Continued) Although the request for proposals was written to solicit bids for a residential Curbside Recycling Program which would serve one to four unit lots, vendors were also evaluated with regard to their willingness and ability to expand such a recycling program to include multi -family households and also develop and implement a commercial recycling program. Green Valley Disposal Company, the firm selected to implement the Curbside Recycling Program, responded positively to expanding the recycling program. The subsequent Agreement between the Town and GVDC was written to allow for expansion of the program based on agreement of both parties. The Recycling Program is planned to be implemented in four phases as follows: PHASE I: To market and implement the residential curbside recycling program. PHASE II: To implement a multi -family curbside recycling program. PHASE III: To implement, if feasible, a yard waste collection program. PHASE IV: To address the recycling needs of the commercial sector. It is estimated that a new phase can be tested approximately every six months. Currently in Phase I of the Program, the Rate Review Committee has been monitoring and guiding GVDC with the development and implementation of the Curbside Recycling Program. Emphasis has been placed on cooperative marketing of the Program. The Committee has also been working with GVDC to develop a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day - for which funds were allocated by each of the four West Valley Cities. As a result of attention to these priorities, the Rate Review Committee has not, yet, concluded the discussions regarding the expansion of the Recycling Program. As with the Curbside Recycling Program, economies of scale can be reached by including all the West Valley Cities in the expansion of the programs. Therefore, it is recommended that Staff continue to work with the Rate Review Committee and GVDC to expand the Program with Council's concurrence. PAGE THREE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 I. RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING A. WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING In order to develop a multi -family recycling program for the Town, Staff reviewed recycling programs currently in operation in other cities in the County. The following is a brief summary of four programs (a narrative summary is attached as Exhibit 1): CITY VOLUNTARY OR CONDOS/TOWN MANDATORY HOUSES Mtn. Voluntary View Palo Voluntary Alto Voluntary San Voluntary Jose Sun- Voluntary ny- vale Most com- plexes are eligible. Yes, upon request. Yes, upon request. No. APTS. If 15 or fewer units or cus- tomer brings materials to curb. Yes, upon request. No. Pilot project serving five complexes, only. CONTAINERS COLLECTION FOR SITE CUSTOMER *2 Burlap sacks.oil jugs on request. *Burlap sack. *3 Stack - able bins. None. Curb or dumpster. Sacks set at curb or dumpster. Bins at curbside. Cart at dumpster site. *The same collection containers are used in the multi -family as in the "single-family" residential recycling programs. Sunnyvale, in their pilot project to a selected sample of multi- family residents, provides special containers for collection of materials at the property's collection site, but is currently not providing any containers to the customers. In some instances, owners or tenants of units/complexes have purchased cans or carts (similar to the Toters) to collect materials at or near the dumpster site. All of the programs are VOLUNTARY. Pick-up of the materials is manual; Sunnyvale may be adopting a semi -automated pick-up system. PAGE FOUR MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 B. DEVELOPING A PILOT MULTI -FAMILY RECYCLING PROGRAM Due to the industries general lack of experience with this kind of program, Staff recommends that service to multi -family units be initially provided on a pilot basis within the Town. This will allow us to test and evaluate the program. It should then be determined if the program should be revised and continued or discontinued. Imple- mentation of a pilot project also has the benefit of introducing the program to the community to raise aware- ness of the program and hopefully increase interest. Jurisdictions who have had the most success within their programs operate a pilot program before implementing a larger program. Listed below are key elements of a pilot project which needs to be considered in implementing the program in the Town. 1. Need There are, according to 1980 census data, 10,971 residential units in the Town of Los Gatos. According to Green Valley, 7,614 of these receive can service. The multi -family recycling Program would be designed, therefore, to eventually meet the needs of households residing in the balance of the 3,357 units. Campbell estimates that the number of multi -family units is slightly higher and Saratoga estimates that the number is somewhat lower. There are no multi -family units in Monte Sereno. At the request of the Town, GVDC will be serving all customers receiving can service regardless of the number of units at their residence. Although the proposal was to serve households residing in single- family residences up to four-plexes (inclusive), the service can easily be provided as it does not involve purchase of different vehicles or equipment that was designed for the Phase I Program. Service only becomes complicated when customers have dumpsters rather than cans or are unable to leave materials at the curb because of collection considerations. 2. Voluntary or Mandatory Participation All the cities polled have voluntary participation. PAGE FIVE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 3. Type of Collection Containers For Customers Customers should be provided with some kind of a container for collecting the recyclable material. Bins are generally used only for multi -family programs where the units are owner occupied. This is because of the concern of the assumed greater loss of containers in apartments due to a more frequent turnover. Also, there is often less space for bins in apartment units. Staff will recommend to the Rate Review Committee that the pilot program supply the less expensive burlap bags in some test areas and bins in others. However, prior to making a final recommendation on the type of containers, the Rate Review Committee will need to evaluate the results of the pilot project in light of the costs of the containers provided and participation rates. Experience of other cities will also be reviewed. 4. Containers at Collection Site and Collection Site There are basically four alternatives for containers which can be left at the collection site; they are as follows: the containers provided to the customers (bags or the bins) , cans or carts (similar to the Toters being used by GVDC), bins of various sizes, or dumpsters. The system selected must be arranged with the apartment manager or apartment complex owner; it will be dependent upon the size of the complex and the space available for the containers. All of the four systems can be used. For the purpose of the pilot project, it is recommended that the first three alternatives be used depending on the particular circumstances of the complex. The site for pick-up of the materials must also be considered. In areas where there are only a few households participating, materials could be left at the curb or at the site that refuse is collected. In complexes where there are a larger number of participants, space must be found somewhere on the property. The challenge is to not displace land- scaping or parking areas. PAGE SIX MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 5. Cost of Service All cities surveyed said that the costs of the program were included in the cost of the "single family" curbside recycling program and could not identify the cost for the program. These cities also roll the cost of the curbside recycling program into their refuse collection bill and pay for the program with revenues collected. There would be some costs for a pilot project. The level of costs and revenue source has not, yet, been identified. 6. Automation None of the cities currently provide automated service. Sunnyvale is considering this as an option due to the large number of multi -family units which are served. Automation allows for long -run cost savings as it is labor reducing and also reduces the number of worker's compensation claims. C. SUMMARY OF STAFF RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE MULTI- FAMILY RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING PROGRAM Staff recommends that we be directed to continue to work with the West Valley Rate Review Committee and GVDC to further develop and implement a pilot program to serve the recycling needs of the multi -family residential complexes within the Town. The program would provide bins or bags to each participating household. Materials will be collected at a site agreed upon by GVDC and the apartment manager or owner or at the curb. Carts or bins would be made available for collection of materials. The cost of the pilot project needs to be determined as does the revenue source. The program would be automated if participation rates in a full-scale program warrant them. II. RECYCLING SERVICES FOR BUSINESSES Phase IV of the West Valley Recycling Program is planned to address the recycling needs of businesses and will be implemented after Phases I and II are underway. Phase III is expected to start in about one year. PAGE SEVEN MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 Research by Staff into commercial recycling programs is not complete at this time. A preliminary survey is attached as Exhibit 2. Generally, it appears that businesses who receive recycling services are large and contract directly with an agency to have materials collected. Cities which do operate programs for medium and small businesses generally collect cardboard and glass as they are the items most common to businesses. The number of businesses in the Town that contract with outside agencies is not known. A full report regarding recycling services for businesses will be presented to Council in January of 1991. In the interim, a letter has been sent to the Chamber of Commerce requesting that they use the avenues available to them to encourage Los Gatos businesses to recycle their refuse materials. Staff is currently reviewing an ordinance recently adopted by the City of Palo Alto which requires stores to offer customers the option of receiving their purchases in paper bags. Support must first be solicited from the Chamber and affected businesses. CONCLUSION: Program phases are based on priority and resources to complete each of the phases. Staff will report to Council approximately every six months regarding the implementation of the next phase of the West Valley Recycling Program. FISCAL IMPACT: Fiscal impact on the Town for implementation of the comprehensive recycling program is currently limited to in -kind Staff costs. Town Staff is needed to assist in developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the programs. Furthermore, Staff must be made available for information and referral and handling of complaints. No funds have been budgeted in the current fiscal year operating budget for this increased service level. The cost and revenue source for the pilot multi -family recycling program has not, yet, been determined. Prior to implementing the pilot project, Staff will return to Council with a report fully describing the program -- including costs and revenue sources. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Summary of Local Multi -Family Recycling Programs 2. Summary of Information Regarding Commercial Recycling PAGE EIGHT MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING RESIDENTIAL MULTI -FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COMMERCIAL WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS JANUARY 16, 1990 DISTRIBUTION: 1. Sue Marki, Div. of Recycling, 1025 "P" St., Sacramento 95814 2. David Wolf, First United Methodist Church of Los Gatos, 19 High School Court, Los Gatos 95032 3. Nancy Cardinet, 221 Jones Road, Los Gatos 95032 4. Claudette Lynch, 108 Cherrystone Court, Los Gatos 95032 5. Mrs. Campbell, 17020 Los Cerritos Drive, Los Gatos 95032 6. Mrs. Williams, First United Methodist Church of Los Gatos, 19 High School Court, Los Gatos 95032 7. Dr. Irving Olender, 178 Long Meadow Drive, Los Gatos 95030 8. Ms. Linger, 312 Harding, Los Gatos 95032 9. Ms. Delores Simone, 248 Old Adobe Road, Los Gatos 95030 10. Mr. John Snelham, 247 Old Adobe Road, Los Gatos 95030 11. Mr. Gerard Wen, GVDC, P.O. Box 1227, Los Gatos 95031 12. Barbara Lee, City of Campbell 13. Todd Argow, City of Saratoga 14. Rosemary Pierce, City of Monte Sereno 15. Marilyn Basham, 108 Teresita Way, Los Gatos 95032 16. Ms. Sara Stephenson, League of Women Voters, Los Gatos, Saratoga Monte Sereno, 12491 Jolene Court, Saratoga 95070 17. Ms. Cynthia Dettner, LGS, 770 "L" Street, Suite 960, Sacramento 95814 18. Dick Gaines, 340 Johnson Avenue, Los Gatos 95032 19. Mrs. Albert Blake, 17511 Pine Street, Los Gatos 95032 20. Janet Foreman, City of Palo Alto, Public Works Dept., P.O. Box 10250, Palo Alto, CA 94303 21. Mark Bowers, City of Mountain View, Solid Waste Program Manager, P.O. Box 7540, Mountain View, CA 94039 EXHIBIT 1 SUMMARY OF LOCAL MULTI -FAMILY RECYCLING PROGRAMS SAN JOSE The City of San Jose provides recycling services to all single family residential units and all units where there are four or fewer units providing that they also have "can" service. Townhouses and condominiums are also served through their recycling program. As of April of 1989, Waste Management, Inc., the firm with which San Jose contracts, also agreed to serve townhouses and condominium units which have dumpsters. San Jose provides bins to residents at such complexes upon request. Apartments have not been incorporated into the program, although San Jose hopes to have a pilot program in place in the future. Due to the higher turnover of residents at apartments, it is believed that there will be a higher risk of losing the containers. According to contact person Vera Dahle, Recycling Specialist (277-5533), public education is also crucial to the success of a program. Where the resident turnover is high, ongoing education is necessary. This requires funds and/or an organized volunteer pool, neither of which San Jose has dedicated to meeting this objective at this time. Any pilot project developed by San Jose would probably use bags rather than the stacking plastic container for two reasons: 1.) an assumed high loss rate; and, 2.) realization that apartments generally have less space than other units. SUNNYVALE The City of Sunnyvale is currently operating a pilot project at five large apartment complexes in the city. Although they use burlap bags for their single-family curbside recycling program, they currently do not provide any containers to the participants. They do provide carts which are left at the refuse collection site. The Sunnyvale Staff is recommending that the Council accept a bid from GVDC which would include distribution of two stackable bins to each household and would provide for carts at each apartment complex. This would allow for the program to change from a manual to a semi -automated pick-up system. Valerie Lenz, Solid Waste Program Coordinator for Sunnyvale (730-7262), stated that responses to the pilot project have been positive; participation rates have been high and requests for participation have also been great. MOUNTAIN VIEW According to Mark Bowers, Solid Waste Program Manager, (415) 966-6301, the City of Mountain View provides recycling services to all residential complexes of one to four units. They also provide services to all complexes containing fifteen or fewer units and are providing services to most condominium units. Services are not provided at complexes where access is not possible. However, anyone who is willing to bring their recyclable items to the curb may participate and will be provided two burlap bags and oil jugs upon request. The cost of the printed bags is approximately $0.50. PALO ALTO The City of Palo Alto provides services to residents of multi- family on a request for service basis. They are provided bags to collect the material and are then asked to leave them in a designated space near the dumpster or at the curb. As with other programs, the apartment owner must be agreeable to providing space for the deposit of the sacks at the dumpster site, unless the sacks are left at the curb. Landlords at some sites in Palo Alto have provided 30-gallon cans for the residents to transfer their recyclables to, rather than leaving sacks at the dumpster site. Participation rates for single-family units has been estimated at about 70 percent; rates for multi -family have been estimated at 20 to 30 percent. To increase participation, the city contacted owners of about 25 apartment complexes to solicit participation; only five responded. The benefits stated to managers is that it is an increased service to the tenants and could potentially decrease waste disposal costs. The contact person for Palo Alto is Janet Foreman, (415) 329-2495. -2- CSD05:A:\cnclrpts\garb.tc EXHIBIT 2 SUMMARY OF INFORMATION REGARDING COMMERCIAL RECYCLING SANTA CLARA COUNTY MANUFACTURING GROUP The Solid Waste Task Force is in the process of preparing a guide directed primarily at industrial businesses to assist them in designing and implementing recycling programs. The guide is expected to be completed mid -April, just before Earth Day, 1990. It will contain a variety of information, including worksheets so businesses can perform waste audits and lists of firms which will provide tours. Brian Rector, an employee of INTEL, is the Chair of the Santa Clara County Manufacturing Groups Task Force (765- 2666) . CITY OF SANTA CLARA The Staff will be proposing that the Council adopt an ordinance to require businesses to report what steps they are taking to recycle; this is important in order to be able to track refuse diverted from landfill. They hope that introduction of recycling in this manner will allow the City to develop agreement within the commercial/ industrial community that recycling is needed and build consensus with regard to that approach. There is concern that some of the firms who pick up glass from businesses will no longer do so because they currently get more glass than they need. The glass bins that they pick up from the bars and restaurants is also so dirty that they often have to sort it when it gets to their transfer site. Santa Clara will be focusing on recycling cardboard and glass. The contact person is Rick Mauck, 988-3151. CITY OF SUNNYVALE In 1976, they had a private study done to determine what they should do next as their curbside recycling program was already in place. The study said they should serve medium-sized businesses; large businesses would broker with a firm on their own and small businesses wouldn't have enough refuse to make recycling economically feasible. The City recently went out to bid on their refuse collection services. They asked that vendors include a plan to serve businesses. A proposal has not, yet, been accepted by Council. The Solid Waste Management Coordinator for the City is Valerie Lenz (730-7262). CIRCO GLASS According to John Henebury of CIRCO GLASS (415) 791-6980, the firm will pay $10/ton of glass collected. They have different size bins which generally generate 10, 15 or 20 dollars when full. Businesses can combine aluminum, P.E.T. plastic soda bottles and glass for a fee of $40/ton, this is a break-even option. CITY OF SAN JOSE According to Michelle King, Commercial Recycling Assistant, San Jose Conservation Corp picks up newspaper, aluminum, glass and cardboard from commercial businesses. Partially, in response to AB 939, the City started a pilot project. They provided 200 bins for collection of cardboard. CIRCO has distributed the bins to 200 businesses. City staff is monitoring the volume generated. A second pilot program with 200 businesses will start by the end of February; mixed recyclables will be collected. Staff also provides information and referral. According to Ann Schneider, Environmental Specialist with the City of San Jose, bins for the pilot projects are paid for through the City's Solid Waste Franchise Agreement. CIRCO is providing the collection services in exchange for the revenues from the sale of materials collected. It is not known, at this time, whether this arrangement will continue under a permanent on -going program. CITY OF PALO ALTO The City of Palo Alto offers free collection of white paper. Collection is provided on a request basis from schools and businesses. Participants must provide their own metal containers. A minimum of two 30-gallon cans must be available for pickup. The City has about 106 participants. The cost is included in the recycling program. Cardboard is also picked up from about 16 businesses who rent bins from PASCO. Collection services are free. The City will be expanding their programs; they will be distributing 20 bins purchased by the program throughout the City. Collection of cardboard is free of charge to the businesses. NOTE: Interviews were conducted during the months of December 1989 and January 1990. -2- CSDO5:A:\cnclrpts\garb.tc January 16, 1990 Los Gatos, California Motion by Mr. Carlson, seconded by Mr. Ventura, that Council: establish March 1, 1991 as the last day to submit complete plans and calculation for seismic upgrades; establish May 1, 1993 as the last day to complete all work related to seismic upgrades or make findings and establish SEISMIC SAFETY CONTINUED time frames as appropriate; authorize that at the discretion of the Director of Building Services, occupancy may be revoked for failure to comply; determines there is no need for a public hearing prior to introducing the ordinance. Carried unanimously. Motion by Mr. Carlson, seconded by Mr. Ventura, to waive the reading of the draft ordinance. Carried unanimously. Town Clerk read the Title. Motion by Mr. Carlson, seconded by Mr. Ventura, that Council introduce Ordinance entitled, ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS ADDING ARTICLE IX OF CHAPTER 7 OF THE TOWN CODE ESTABLISHING AN IDENTIFICATION AND MITIGATION PROGRAM FOR POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BUILDINGS BY ADOPTING THE 198,5 EDITION OF THE UNIFORM CODE FOR BUILDING CONSERVATION AS PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFICIALS AND MAKING CERTAIN AMENDMENTS THERETO. Carried unanimously. Motion by Mr. Carlson, seconded by Mr. Ventura, that Council adopt Resolution 1990-21 entitled, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR INVESTIGATION OF UNREINFORCED MASONRY BEARING WALL BUILDINGS. Carried unanimously. SOLID WASTE COLLECTION/CURBSIDE RECYCLING/RESIDENTIAL Motion by Mr. Carlson, seconded by Mr. Ventura, that the cost of providing curbside recycling services be $0.82 per household for the first year (12 months) of recycling and review at the end of that time the Proposal for Organic Collection. 3 9SOLID WASTE COLLECTION/CURBSIDE RECYCLING/MULTI-FAMILY Motion by Mr. Ventura, seconded by Mr. Carlson, that Staff continue to work with the West Valley Rate Review Committee and Green Valley Disposal Company, Inc. (GVDC) to refine and implement the following plans for expansion of the Curbside Recycling Program to serve multi -family residential units and businesses: Phase I To market and implement the residential curbside recycling program. Phase II To implement a multi -family curbside recycling program within six months of the implementation of phase I. Phase III To implement a yard waste collection program. Phase IV To address the recycling needs of the commercial sector. Carried unanimously. RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE/RESOLUTION 1990-22 Motion by MR Carlson, seconded by Mrs. Benjamin, that the Los Gatos Town Council adopt Resolution 1990-22 entitled, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS ADOPTING A TOWN -WIDE RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE AND A POLICY FOR ONGOING RECORDS MANAGEMENT, Carried unanimously. TC:DI:MM011690 9