PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
NOTIFICATION OF PROPOSED RATE INCREASES FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES Wednesday, November 15, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
City of Corona Council Chambers
400 S. Vicentia Ave, Corona, CA 92882
PUBLIC HEARING
The Corona City Council will conduct a public hearing to consider the proposed rate increases to solid waste services. All property owners and customers of record receiving City of Corona solid waste service, and all other interested persons, may appear at the public hearing to make comments regarding the proposed rate increases.
HOW TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN PROTEST
Written protests must be received by the City Clerk at 400 S. Vicentia Ave., Corona, CA 92882 prior to the close of the public hearing on November 15, 2023, to be considered valid and to be counted in the protest tabulation. More information about the proposed rate increases and how to submit a written request are included in this mailer.
CITY OF CORONA
400 S. VICENTIA AVE.
CORONA, CA 92882
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION
OF PROPOSED RATE
INCREASES FOR SOLID
WASTE SERVICES
State Senate Bill (SB) 1383 – mandates that California reduce organic waste disposal in landfills by 75%, and increase edible food recovery by 20% by January 2025. As a result, green waste and food waste will no longer be able to be disposed of in the landfill. SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to allow food waste to be collected in residential green waste carts or cans, which is then subjected to mandatory processing that significantly increases the cost of handling that material. SB 1383 also requires the City to undertake new measures to reduce contamination, educate waste generators, procure recovered organic waste products, track and report on recycling participation, and enforce the State’s new recycling requirements.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED SOLID WASTE RATE
ADJUSTMENTS AND PUBLIC HEARING
NOVEMBER 15, 2023
You are receiving this notice in compliance with Proposition 218, which requires the City to inform property owners and the customer of record about:
The reason for the proposed increases
The amount of the proposed rate increases
The basis on which the rates are calculated
The proposed rate increases that are being
considered
Weekly collection of ALL
organic waste from residents
and businesses
Community outreach and
education about new
requirements under SB 1383
City must establish Edible Food
Recovery Program
Compliance monitoring of SB
1383 required
Procurement of products made
from recovered organic waste,
including compost
Solid waste contamination
monitoring & enforcement, which
includes contamination fees
The foregoing unfunded mandates will increase the cost of collection and processing of solid waste in Corona. As a result, the City must increase the collection rates charged by the City’s franchised solid waste hauler.
REASON FOR PROPOSED INCREASES
All cities in the State, including Corona, are subject to the most stringent solid waste legislation in California history. For City residents and businesses to remain in compliance with State Law, new services are necessary, none of which are funded by the State.
Therefore, these services must be funded through solid waste collection rates. This State unfunded mandate increases requirements for recyclables and organics in order to divert them from disposal in landfills.
As part of these proceedings, the City is also proposing to authorize, for a period of fives years (2024 through 2029), future automatic annual inflationary adjustments in the Rates as authorized by Government Code Section 53756 based on: (1) the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (CUURS49CSA0) as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI) during the December to December period; and (2) the percentage change in any fees charged by a facility for the disposal or processing of refuse, recyclable materials or organic waste. Pursuant to Section 53756 of the Government Code, the Rates are proposed to be automatically adjusted each year on July 1 for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Single-Family Cart Rate*
Current Rate $26.67
Proposed Rate $28.78
Increase Amount $2.11
Percent Change 7.91%
Commercial Bin Rate**
Current Rate $154.76
Proposed Rate $163.24
Increase Amount $8.48
Percent Change 5.50%
The Rates include charges for automated curbside cart collection, and bin collection for single-family and multi-family customers. The Rates represent the amount that WM will charge customers for the services required by the Agreement.
PROPOSED MONTHLY SOLID WASTE SERVICE RATES
Residential Rates are increasing approximately 7.9% and commercial Rates are increasing approximately
5.5% to account for the additional services required for compliance with the new State mandates. The current and proposed Rates for most common levels of service are shown below in the Table. The complete schedule of rates is available via the QR code on the following page.
PROPOSED SOLID WASTE RATES
The proposed rates (Rates) for solid waste collection services will be considered by the City as part of a restated and amended agreement between the City of Corona and the City’s franchised solid waste hauler, USA Waste of California, Inc. (WM), for Solid Waste Collection Services (Agreement). This Agreement will assist the City in its compliance with the new State mandates.
Single family and multi-family dwellings with cart service are charged a monthly base rate (billed monthly), which includes a refuse cart, a recycling cart, and an organics (green waste combined with food waste) recycling cart. Customers may choose to take additional carts for an additional charge. Multi-family dwellings with bin service are charged a monthly rate based on the number and size of bins, and the number of weekly pickups.
AUTOMATIC INFLATION PASS-THROUGH
The City’s solid waste rates were last adjusted for changes in landfill costs effective October 1, 2022. If the proposed Rates are approved, they will go into effect on January 1, 2024, along with the new SB 1383-compliant services. The Rates will adjust again in July 2024, when they are scheduled for the annual inflation adjustment as set forth above. Notice of any future adjustments to the Rates based upon such inflationary adjustments will be provided by WM at least 30 days prior to the effective date of such adjustments. *State compliant 3-cart service including refuse, recycling, and organics carts. Monthly rate for all cart sizes. Cart sizes vary depending on the manufacturer, but may be approximately 96 gallons, 64 gallons, and 35 gallons in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. **Monthly rate for a single 3 cubic yard refuse bin serviced once per week. Recycling and organics carts and bins are offered at an additional charge.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions regarding this Notice, or the proposed rate adjustments, or you would like more information, please contact the Utilities Department at (951) 736-2234 or by email at
[email protected].
This notice is available in Spanish by scanning the following QR Code or by visiting our Waste and Recycling website at
https://bit.ly/coronaprop218.
Escanear el siguiente código para ver este aviso en Español o visitando nuestra página de internet https://bit.ly/coronaprop218.
PUBLIC HEARING AND PROTEST PROCEEDINGS
Property owners and tenants (i.e., customers of record) directly responsible for the payment of the Rates, may protest the proposed rate adjustment in writing prior to or during the public hearing; provided, however, only one protest will be counted per identified parcel. Consistent with the provisions of Proposition 218 and Government Code Section 53755, this notice has been mailed to all customers of record. If you are a property owner or tenant (i.e. customer of record) and object to the proposed Rates as described in this Notice, you may file a written protest with the City at or before the close of the public hearing. Written protests can be mailed or personally delivered to the City Clerk but must be received by no later than the close of the public hearing on November 15, 2023. Any protest submitted via e-mail or other electronic means will not be accepted or considered. Written protests should be mailed to:
City Clerk, City of Corona, 400 S. Vicentia Ave., Corona, CA 92882.
Only one protest will be counted per identified parcel. Multiple protests returned for a single property will be counted as a single protest. The City Clerk will only count one protest per property, even if the parcel has multiple owners.
The City Clerk will determine the validity of all protests submitted and exclude any invalid protests from the final tabulation. The City Clerk may confer with the City Attorney in determining the validity of written protests. As part of this process, the City Attorney may review contested or suspect protest forms. The City Clerk’s decision shall be final and binding.
The City Council will hear and consider all written and oral protests to the proposed Rates at the public hearing. Oral comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests unless accompanied by a written protest. If written protests against the proposed Rates are not presented by a majority of property owners or tenants/customers of record of the identified parcels upon which the Rates are proposed to be imposed, the City Council will be authorized to impose the Rates.
A valid written protest must include:
1. The name of the record owner or tenant/customer of record of the property; and,
2. Identification of the property by either assessor’s parcel number or street address; and,
3. A statement of protest (“I/we protest” will suffice); and,
4. The original signature of the protesting owner tenant/customer of record (photocopies, electronic mail, electronic copies, e-comments, or faxes will not be accepted).