Cleanup Campaign Alternatives and Community Survey Results Responses to Questions from Councilmembers
April 18, 2023 (File 23-1171)
Councilmember Jain
1. What are participation rates from other on-call programs?
Participation rates vary widely from program to program. Examples: San Rafael – 10%; Alameda – 30%; Los Altos – 70%
2. Does the $6.28 monthly Cleanup Campaign (CUC) charge include the two free disposal events at the Mission Trail Transfer Station (MTTS)?
The $6.28 monthly CUC charge does not fund the free disposal events at the MTTS.
The free disposal events are a service provided by Mission Trail Waste Systems (MTWS) at no explicit extra charge as required in its exclusive franchise collection agreement with the City. These events are available to all residents regardless of whether or not they pay the monthly CUC charge.
3. Can additional promotion be done to advertise the free disposal events at the MTTS and the On-Call collection?
Additional promotion of the free disposal events and MTWS On-Call collection program through social media and the City’s website can be conducted.
4. Wasn’t the main motivation from moving away from the CUC due to fines from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and requirements to install full trash capture devices in storm drains?
In 2014 the City received a complaint forwarded by the RWQCB of 27 instances in which potential storm drain discharge violations were noted during a rain event due to CUC setouts. The City investigated all 27 instances, issued enforcement actions for applicable violations and submitted a report detailing the investigations and actions. Additionally, in 2015 the City moved the CUC start date out of the rainy season (it used to start in the March/April timeframe) to a May start date and instituted a new requirement to place construction and demolition (C&D) debris in bulk bags. The City did not receive any further action from the RWQCB after submitting a response. However, it was because of this RWQCB complaint that the City launched the previous 2014 review of CUC alternatives.
Trash capture devices that have been installed in catch basins are not associated with the CUC. They have been installed to meet certain requirements of the Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit that the City must follow.
Councilmember Hardy
1. Why don’t other cities provide CUC’s similar to ours?
The CUC is a very large undertaking and it would be challenging for another jurisdiction to implement a similar program starting from scratch. The program requires a staff of approximately 40 Department of Public Works (DPW) employees on a daily basis for four (4) weeks. DPW defers most non-safety sensitive maintenance activities during the CUC. Additionally, in advance of the CUC, agreements for equipment rental, trucking services and additional as-needed labor need to be procured.
2. Is the CUC sustainable after Newby Island Landfill closes?
DPW is developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for disposal and composting services to enter into a long-term agreement(s) following the December 31, 2024 expiration of the current agreement to use Newby Island Landfill. Staff believes that there is enough capacity and interest in the disposal community to continue the current CUC program for the foreseeable future.
3. What is the amount paid by other cities per resident for on-call services?
This is unknown. Other cities with on-call programs do not separately identify this cost in their collection agreements. It is a required service in the agreement and the costs are embedded into rates of service paid to the collection contractor.
4. Are the free disposal days at the MTTS different from the free household hazardous waste (HHW) drop-off events?
The HHW drop-off events are conducted by the County of Santa Clara and are separate from the free disposal days at the MTTS.
5. The community survey responses were self-selected. Only those with very strong opinions chose to respond.
The 21% response rate was much higher than the 10% response rate targeted. The community support for the CUC is strong, given an 86% approval rating of those responding.
6. Unclear on the number residents who have the CUC?
There are approximately 47,000 households that receive solid waste services from the City. Approximately 33,000 of them pay for and receive CUC services and approximately 14,000 do not receive the service and therefore do not pay for it.
7. There is illegal dumping in non-residential areas which residents are paying for, particularly by Wilcox High School along Calabazas Boulevard.
Staff acknowledges there are multiple non-residential locations that are illegal dumping targets during the CUC. Those areas are collected during the CUC. DPW also receives calls throughout the year regarding illegal dumping taking place city-wide and responds to those complaints as they arise.
Councilmember Becker
1. How do residents that don’t have access to the CUC dispose of junk?
Residents can use the free disposal days at MTTS, make an appointment through MTWS for an on-call collection, or make other arrangements outside of the options provided by the City.
2. How does enforcement of illegal dumping happen?
The Police Department is responsible for enforcement of illegal dumping. Persons caught in the act of illegal dumping can be cited.
3. Can the Police Department be informed of illegal dumping hotspots in advance and can revenue be developed from fines issued?
DPW staff can provide the Police Department with known hotspots for illegal dumping in advance of specific collection weeks and request that these locations be patrolled more frequently.
4. Can the City provide more outreach on upcycling and reuse?
DPW staff can look for additional ways to encourage residents to reuse unwanted items.
It should be noted that both the CUC promotional information in the City calendar and utility bill insert promote the Recyclestuff.org website to look for donation opportunities.
Also, the City intentionally schedules one of the two Citywide Garage Sales in April to provide residents an opportunity to sell unwanted items in advance of the CUC.
5. The HHW outreach needs to be enhanced.
The City promotes the countywide HHW program in every outreach piece produced for the CUC. DPW staff will look for ways to expand the HHW outreach.
Councilmember Watanabe
1. What alternatives are available to residents that don’t have access to the CUC
See Response #1 to question from Councilmember Becker.
2. What is the cost to per pick-up of the on-call program?
The current cost for each on-call collection appointment through MTWS is $148.51.
3. Is the $2.5 million cost of the CUC being subsidized in any way?
No, the CUC is fully funded by the $6.28 per month charge paid by participating households.
4. Do residents that don’t take part in CUC get drop off events for free?
Yes, all residential solid waste customers have access to the 2 drop off events at MTTS at no extra charge.
5. What is the cost to add one more drop off event per year?
DPW will have to engage Mission Trail Waste Systems to determine the cost. However, based on the attendance levels at the current two events it is estimated that it could cost approximately $15,000.
6. There is street and sidewalk damage incurred during the CUC. What can residents do if their sidewalk or curb gets damaged?
Hardscape damage is one of the negative aspects of the CUC. Equipment Operators picking up the debris are highly skilled, but damage does occasionally occur over a 4- week period. Residents can contact DPW at [email protected] or call (408) 615- 3080 to report damages.
Councilmember Chahal
1. Do residents in the Rancho McCormick homeowners association (HOA) pay for CUC? If they don’t have space to set materials out, why are they paying?
Yes, the residents in this complex pay for the CUC. The complex has limited space to set debris on the street but they do each year, so it is applicable to charge them for the service. Staff has reached out to the homeowner’s association (HOA) and offered to provide debris bins on the private property for the complex’s residents to utilize as we do for a few other complexes with similar issues. On April 19, the HOA informed staff that they would like to move forward with staging bins on private property.
2. Is the billing for the CUC in the utility bills or the garbage utility bills?
The CUC charge is a separate line item on residents’ utility bills which also includes electric, water, and solid waste charges.
3. What is the cost of drop-off at the MTTS?
Based on preliminary information provided by MTWS the cost is approximately $65 per resident.
4. What are we doing going forward for illegal dumping?
Illegal dumping happens during the CUC and year-round. That material is picked up and disposed. Staff has and will continue to look at options to add signage, make areas more visible and less attractive for dumping, and will also provide PD with information about areas that are prone to illegal dumping.
Councilmember Park
1. Is the reason that 14,000 residents don’t participate due to access?
The 14,000 residents that don’t participate in the CUC is because they do not have adequate frontage to set out debris on the street or the streets are too narrow for large vehicles and equipment to operate.
2. Do residents that don’t participate in the CUC have access to the free disposal days?
Yes.
3. Scavengers sometimes damage reusable items or make a mess when looking for items to salvage.
Yes, that is an issue that is frequently brought to staff’s attention during the CUC.
However, based on the survey results 82% of respondents do not mind items from their piles being salvaged.
4. There is a significant amount of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) placed out during the CUC.
Acknowledged. All outreach collateral produced to promote the CUC states that the set- out of hazardous waste is prohibited and provides direction to make an appointment with the Countywide HHW Program for disposal. However, during the CUC the County HHW team is called upon to collect any illegally placed HHW that is encountered so that it is properly disposed.
5. How much material can be disposed of through an on-call collection program?
Two cubic yards of loose items can be placed in bulk bags and up to 3 large items are collected through MTWS on-call bulky item collection program.
6. Aren’t there services that pick-up certain items like mattresses for free?
The Center for the Development of Recycling (CDR) which is operated by San Jose State University students has an agreement with the County to maintain a database of locations to recycle/reuse items and host the Recyclestuff.org to provide this information.
Regarding mattresses specifically, the San Jose Conservation Corps recently received grant funding to pick-up and recycle abandoned mattresses at no charge through 2023.
Mayor Gillmor
1. Is there a specific outcome or recommendation from this report?
Staff is not making any recommendation. However, a potential outcome raised in the report is for Council to direct staff to enter into negotiations with MTWS to expand the number of drop-off events at the MTTS to provide more disposal opportunities for residents, particularly those that do not participate in the CUC.