Council advised to start thinking about solution to prolonged trash-hauler debate
On Tuesday, members of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council will be asked to consider scenarios for how the city might shift from contracting with multiple trash haulers in favor of an exclusive contract with a single vendor.
No formal action will be taken on the item, which appears on the council’s consent calendar, and so the topic is not likely to be publicly discussed unless a council member chooses to remove it from the calendar for discussion.
But the scenarios put forth in a report for the item include the potential creation of “exclusive zones” where multiple haulers might still be allowed, and show how the city might negotiate with one or more haulers of choice, solicit proposals from select companies or accept proposals from “all qualified haulers.”
The staff report estimates the time required to implement a new system would range from 1 year to 18 months. A timeline in the report surmises the council might be expected to determine a direction to follow sometime in October or November.
The city of La Cañada — the last multiple-hauler holdout among 88 incorporated cities in Los Angeles County — has been grappling with the issue for years, but most recently revived the matter in 2015 after the passage of a few key state laws concerning green waste and recycling.
The results of a 2015 independent survey indicated 95% of residents were satisfied with the current services provided by their particular hauler. Those in favor of a single hauler count unnecessary pollution and excessive noise among their chief concerns, while those who prefer to keep things as they are have maintained competition keeps prices down.
To read the staff report, click here.
Also Tuesday, council members are expected to hear public safety reports from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s and Fire departments, renew the city’s contract with Pasadena Human Society for Fiscal Year 2017-18 animal control services and adopt an ordinance amending the city’s zoning code regulating accessory dwelling units.
The council will also conduct a public hearing on an ordinance that, in part, amends the city’s current zoning code to prohibit certain commercial businesses — operating in the R-3 Multifamily Zone, on the south side of the 1400 block of Foothill Boulevard and at 2160 Foothill Blvd. — from expanding, unless for the accommodation of disability-based laws.
The meeting takes place Tuesday at 6 p.m. in La Cañada Flintridge City Hall’s Council Chambers, 1327 Foothill Blvd. For more information, call (818) 790-8880. To see the meeting’s full agenda, click here.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
