CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: March 2, 2026
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
TITLE: INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NO. __ AMENDING CHAPTER 15.05,
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND DISCHARGE CONTROL, OF
THE CITY OF PLEASANT HILL MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADD A
REQUIREMENT FOR INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF
DEVICES TO CAPTURE TRASH, LITTER, AND OTHER
POLLUTANTS FROM ENTERING THE CITY’S STORM DRAIN
SYSTEM
SYNOPSIS
The San Francisco Bay Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP), originally adopted by the Regional Water Quality Control Board in 2009, establishes annual stormwater treatment requirements that must be met by cities, counties, and flood control districts across the San Francisco Bay Area. The MRP has been reissued twice since its inception, and each version has increased its regulatory compliance measures. Provision C.10 of the MRP requires Permittees (cities, counties, and flood management agencies) to implement control measures and actions that reduce trash discharges in stormwater to meet the permit’s discharge prohibitions and receiving water limitations for trash.
To ensure full compliance with provision C.10 of the MRP3.0, staff requests that Council introduce an ordinance amending Chapter 15.05 (Stormwater Management and Discharge Control) of the City of Pleasant Hill Municipal Code, to add a requirement for installation and maintenance of devices for the capture of trash and other pollutants.
DISCUSSION
Background
At the April 7, 2025 City Council Meeting, the City Council received a presentation on the requirements of MRP 3.0, which included Trash Load Reduction (Provision C.10). The core intent of Provision C.10 is to systematically reduce trash pollution in stormwater runoff through measurable, tracked actions and to ensure municipal storm systems are progressively minimizing trash loads reaching creeks, San Francisco Bay, and other receiving waters.
Under MRP 3.0, permittees were required to reduce trash from 2009 baseline levels to 100% reduction by June 30, 2025. The City of Pleasant Hill’s trash load reduction was 87.3%, which is
12.7% below the required compliance level. These benchmarks are shown on the attached trash management area map (Attachment A), which measures our progress through the end of the reporting cycle.
The Regional Water Quality Control Board is mandating permittees that did not attain 100% trash load reduction to submit an implementation plan and schedule of additional trash load reduction control actions that will attain this goal. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in enforcement action by the Water Board, including fines of up to $10,000 per day.
Three new developed parcels (since June 30, 2025) Taco Bell, Kid Time and Snooker Billiards, are in the process of converting to full trash capture, bringing our trash capture percentage to approximately 90%, still short of the MRP 3.0 required 100%, requiring the City to find alternate means to obtain compliance.
Currently, there is one commercial, high-trash-generating parcel along the north side of Contra Costa Boulevard (552 Contra Costa Boulevard) and four moderate-trash-generating parcels (520, 555, 635, and 675 Contra Costa Boulevard). Staff has determined that if these parcels achieve complete trash reduction compliance on site, the City will reach 100% trash reduction.
At this time, staff has no authority to require full on-site trash capture, and typically conditions property owners to install trash capture measures only when a planning or building permit application is submitted. Staff recommends amending the stormwater ordinance to adopt trash capture installation measures.
Analysis
Section 15.05 of the Municipal Code currently requires private property owners that have full onsite trash capture to enter into a long-term covenant or agreement to ensure the operation and maintenance of their full trash capture devices. In order to be compliant with MRP 3.0, staff recommends the ordinance be further amended to include language that mandates installation and maintenance of full trash capture devices by all owners of private parking lots, streets, roads, and drainage facilities within the City to prevent the discharge of trash or other pollutants from private parking lots, streets, roads, and drainage facilities into the public storm drain system. Additionally, failure or refusal to comply with such requirement shall be prohibited and shall constitute a violation of the City’s Municipal Code
Staff recommends the steps listed below:
a. Identification of property owners of parcels located in moderate and high–trashgeneration areas. b. Outreach to property owners regarding the City’s trash reduction requirements, the need for compliance, and the proposed changes to the stormwater ordinance. c. Implementation of proposed Stormwater Management and Discharge Control ordinance after its adoption (introduction at this meeting and adoption proposed on March 16, 2026).
The proposed ordinance (Attachment B) is ready to be introduced (first reading). The adoption (second reading) of the ordinance is scheduled for March 16, 2026, and should it be adopted, will take effect 30 days later on April 15, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT
If the City does not take measurable action to achieve 100% trash capture, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) may issue the City a Notice of Violation for not having sufficient legal authority to implement MRP provisions or for not meeting provision C.10 of MRP3.0.
Failure to comply with this requirement could result in enforcement action by the Water Board, including a cease-and-desist order and fines of up to $10,000 per day.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public Contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center, and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Introduce Ordinance No. __, Amending Chapter 15.05 (Stormwater Management and Discharge Control) to Add a Requirement for Installation and Maintenance of Devices for the Capture of Trash and Other Pollutants.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
None recommended.
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - Pleasant Hill Full Trash Capture and Trash Management Area Map Attachment B - Ordinance No. ___ Amending PHMC Chapter 15.05 to Require Capture of Trash and Other Pollutant
Prepared by: Laetitia Galeazzi, Senior Civil Engineer
Reviewed by: Ann James, Public Works Director
Approved by: Ethan Bindernagel, City Manager