Agenda Item: 9
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: January 25, 2022
SUBJECT: SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING AND RESTATING CHAPTER 15.44 OF
THE SANTA CLARITA MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING
INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood Services
PRESENTER: Darin Seegmiller
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council to conduct a second reading and adopt, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING AND RESTATING CHAPTER 15.44 INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT.”
BACKGROUND
At the regular meeting of the City Council on January 11, 2022, the City Council introduced and passed to second reading an ordinance concerning amendments to Chapter 15.44 Integrated Waste Management.
In September 2016, Senate Bill 1383 (SB1383) (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016, Short- Lived Climate Pollutants: Methane Emissions Reductions) was signed into law. This legislation was the most significant waste reduction mandate to be adopted in California in the last 30 years.
According to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), landfills are the third largest source of methane in California. Approximately 34 percent of landfill space is comprised of organic waste. Food waste alone accounts for approximately 17-18 percent of total landfill disposal. The decomposition of organic waste in landfills is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, which are major contributors to climate change.
The goal of SB1383 is to reduce organic waste disposal by 75 percent and increase edible food recovery by 20 percent by 2025, thereby diverting organic waste from landfills and reducing methane emissions. Senate Bill 1383 requires all jurisdictions to implement a mandatory organic
recycling ordinance obligating all businesses and residences to have access to recycling programs that capture food scraps, landscaping waste, and other organic waste materials.
The amendment of Chapter 15.44 of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code is to comply with the State’s mandate. Senate Bill 1383 allows cities to take an educational approach to enforcement of their local ordinance for the first two years of such ordinance being in effect. However, beginning in January 2024, cities must take progressive enforcement actions against organic waste generators that are not in compliance with the local ordinance. Staff analysis of SB1383 shows that cities and counties are required to:
• Provide organic waste collection to all residents and businesses • Develop and adopt an ordinance by January 2022
• Implement an edible food recovery program
• Establish a procurement policy to purchase paper products made with recycled content and purchase recycled organic waste products
• Provide outreach and education for generators, haulers, facilities, edible food recovery organizations, and municipal departments
• Maintain accurate compliance records
• Monitor compliance and conduct enforcement
The new solid waste franchise agreements are set to begin July 1, 2023.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
None by this action.
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance
Exhibit A - SCMunicipal Code Section 15.44 SB 1383 Compliance (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)