YORBA LINDA : Plan Calls for Bigger Hike in Trash Fees

A scheduled hike in city trash fees, combined with a proposal to add more services, could increase residents’ trash fees by as much as $1.73 a month.

Taormina Industries, which operates the city’s trash collection system under the name of Yorba Linda Disposal, is scheduled to receive a rate increase of 14 cents per month. The higher rate is a contracted, cost-of-living increase that the city has already agreed to pay.

But the company is also proposing several options that could push the rate much higher.

In a report to the City Council last week, Yorba Linda Disposal proposed five options that would add 59 cents to the monthly increase, making a total of $1.73. The council took no action, voting to continue discussion at its next meeting on May 25.

One proposal involves expanding a pilot composting program. Currently, about 700 households use an additional trash barrel for the disposal of yard waste. To double the size of that program, all residents would pay an additional 11 cents monthly under the plan.

If the city chose to include all households in the program, the fee would rise by $1.14 a month to cover the cost of purchasing two additional trucks and 16,800 more barrels.

Another option being considered is a fee for bulky-item pickup. Currently, residents are charged $31 to dispose of water heaters, refrigerators and other large items. Yorba Linda Disposal is proposing an 11-cent-per-month increase that would entitle each resident to pickups of three bulky items each year.

If the council decides to expand the composting program citywide and adds the bulky-item pickup, trash fees would rise by $1.73. A less expensive alternative would be to expand the composting program to an additional 675 households.

The city’s interest in composting stems from state legislation that mandates a 25% reduction in the amount of trash the city dumps at landfills by the year 2000. Composting grass, leaves and other yard waste into mulch and fertilizer diverts a significant amount of waste from landfills.

At a public hearing on the rate increase during last week’s City Council meeting, residents voiced mixed reactions to the various options.

Carol Cantwell, who lives near a vacant lot, told council members the bulky-item pickup program would reduce the number of items dumped in vacant lots.

“Eleven cents (a month) will look pretty cheap if the city has to spend money to go out and pick up water heaters and sofas,” Cantwell said.

But another resident said he thought the option would penalize those who don’t use the service.

“If someone wants a bulky-item pickup, let them pay for it,” said Harold Smith.

The expansion of the composting program also had supporters and detractors.

Chris Norris, who lives in a condominium, questioned what benefit she would receive from composting.

“It isn’t fair that some of us get penalized, while some get a benefit,” Norris said.

But another resident said the current pilot program was not fair to most city residents, who are not able to use it. The pilot program covers 700 families, but all households pay the 7-cent monthly fee.