Title
An ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the City Code thereby approving alternate residential collection pilot programs.
Body
The City Council expressed concerns that current regulations related to authorized solid waste containers and collection methods may be contributing to litter and trash throughout the City. In response to these concerns, a budget offer was approved by Council in the 2018-19 Fiscal Year budget to evaluate the use of carts, with attached lids, as a means of trash collection and to gather information on how these alternative collection methods impact litter, collection efficiency and customer satisfaction. The proposed pilot programs will evaluate two different methods of collection using two different size carts.
Pilot Program No. 1
The first pilot program will use 95-gallon carts, dumped by semi-automated tippers, located on the back of a solid waste truck. The 95-gallon carts will be emptied only once a week. Staff will issue each resident one 95-gallon cart (without charge) and will require all garbage in the cart to be bagged and the cart placed at the front curb during this program. Additional carts will be available as needed. The pilot service area will include two routes in the Country Club Estates Phase I & II, containing 1,055 homes.
Pilot Program No. 2
The second pilot program will use 45-gallon carts, dumped manually, and collected twice weekly. Staff will issue each resident in the pilot program one 45-gallon cart (without charge) and require all garbage in the cart to be bagged and the cart placed at their normal collection point. Additional carts will be made available as needed. The second pilot program will operate the regular Tuesday and Friday garbage collection route in Creek Crossing Estates in sections of Phases 12 and 17, containing 940 homes.
A single crew will be used to execute both pilot programs to minimize the effect on the remainder of the solid waste program. The pilot programs will not affect the weekly yard waste collection schedule. In both pilot program areas, residents will be required to place all junk and bulky items, according to their service date, so that staff can measure the effectiveness of litter abatement during the pilot program.
Citizens within the study areas will be given carts to use at no charge and will be educated regarding the proper use of the carts. Parameters observed and recorded will include customer satisfaction, loose and scattered litter, neighborhood appearance, compliance rates, efficiency of operation and cost of service. The pilot program will tentatively begin in April 2019, pending delivery of the carts and upon distribution of educational material to the affected residents. Staff will provide three-month and six-month status reports to the City Manager and Council.
At the end of the pilot program, staff will present the findings to the City Council for consideration. The pilot programs will require purchasing 1,370 of the 95-gallon carts (amount includes 315 spare carts for replacement or for citizens requesting additional carts) and 1,694 of the 45-gallon carts (amount includes 754 spare carts for replacement or for citizens requesting additional carts) for a total cost of $120,030.50. Additional carts and funding may be required if more carts are requested than originally anticipated.
The total anticipated cost of the pilot programs including the purchase of the rear-mounted tippers is $140,250.50. The difference between the total anticipated cost and the budgeted amount of $129,000.00 will be funded through department operational savings in other areas of Solid Waste. Changing the size or type of recycle carts is not included in this pilot program.
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Works, upon approval of the City Manager, to conduct the pilot program, and evaluate its success.
Recommended/Desired Action
Staff recommends approval of the ordinance.
Attachment(s)
Monday/Thursday Pilot Pick Up Routes
Tuesday/Friday Pilot Pick Up Routes
Ordinance
Drafter
Steve Glass, P.E.
Head of Department
Matthew Holzapfel, P.E.