Loading...
sr-121311-7e0 City of City Council Report Santa TVIunicai City Council Meeting: December 13, 2011 Agenda Item: To: Mayor and City Council From: Martin Pastucha. Director of Public Works Subject: New Public Works Service Programs Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Introduce the attached ordinance for first reading establishing four new service programs for the Department of Public Works. 2. Approve the attached resolution setting the new service program fees, to be effective upon the effective date of the attached ordinance. Executive Summary This report provides information on the development and establishment of fees for new optional programs that would be offered by the City's Resource Recovery & Recycling Division: Enclosure and Sidewalk Washing for Businesses; Residential Clean -a -Can; Green Food Collection Pail; and Event Rental. Discussion In response to EPA regulations, the Clean Water Act and other regulations regarding waste disposal and stormwater runoff and pollution, the Resource Recovery & Recycling Division (RRR) has been developing new programs to comply with these mandates while encouraging community participation in activities that reduce waste and pollution such as recycling, composting and reduced water reuse. In the last year RRR has received several calls from both residents and business owners requesting cleaning services for their trash carts, bins and enclosure areas due to trash accumulation, odors and overall aesthetics. Since RRR does not currently offer 0 these services, customers have been directed to private businesses outside the City. In order to meet service demands in the future, RRR is proposing to offer residents and businesses the optional services below. The proposed costs for these services are based on both the 2009 cost allocation plan developed by R3 Consulting Group (R3) and the 2010 review of the cost of providing services citywide to ensure appropriate cost recovery by Revenue Cost Specialists (RCS). Enclosure and Expanded Sidewalk Washing For Businesses RRR proposes a cleaning service for any commercial bin enclosure, compactor area, or dumpster area. This service would include a sweep -out of debris and pressure washing of the enclosure floor making it free of odors, dirt, grime, sludge, and trash accumulation. RRR would also expand the sidewalk and parking lot pressure washing services it offers to local businesses. This service gets at the joints of the sidewalks and the surrounding curbs to give the area a complete cleaning. RRR scheduling flexibility also avoids interfering with nearby foot traffic. Routine pressure washing service helps maintain a clean appearance for shopping districts, hotel entryways, restaurants, office buildings or downtown storefronts. RRR's high power mobile water recovery system can recover up to 99% of the water runoff associated with these services, eliminating the problems associated with standing water or water entering the storm drains The cost allocation plan developed by R3 in 2009 revealed that the annual cost for pressure washing services was $367,377 or $88.31 per hour. Staff proposes to charge $88.31 per hour for the above services with a pro -rata cost calculated at 15 minute increments. Staff estimates spending approximately five additional hours per week providing this service. Doing so would increase miscellaneous revenue by $22,960 annually. 2 Residential Clean -a -Can RRR proposes pressure washing residential refuse containers at the curb or alley once per month in order to eliminate odors, dirt, grime, and /or sludge at the bottom of the containers. RRR has designated a pilot area of approximately 300 residents within the southwest section of the City to garner interest in the program. Staff projects a 25% response rate during the pilot program. RRR would notify the residents about the program by placing tags on the containers. The clean -a -can program would be completed by the pressure washing staff. It is estimated that it will take approximately 8 - 15 minutes to get to the service location and clean the cans. The time differential depends on how often a can is serviced. Based on the $88.31 hourly rate, the cost for this program would range from $10 - $20 per cleaning. As an example, if 75 residents participate at a cost of $10 each, miscellaneous revenue of $750 would be generated. This rate is comparable to costs offered by the private sector currently operating in the Los Angeles area. RRR would assess fees based on the frequency of cleaning. The clean -a -can program would generate approximately $1,000 annually. Green Food Collection Pail RRR has encouraged households to use backyard composting to reduce food waste in the past. Recently, curbside collection of organics increased in popularity. Some Northern California cities (San Francisco, Berkeley and Santa Cruz) allow food discards to be collected with the yard trimmings at curbside in order to divert it from landfills. In August 2010, RRR initiated a pilot program in the residential area north of Montana. The pilot program allowed food scraps only (no food- soiled paper) to be placed in the green waste containers. Staff sent out letters inviting 600 homes to participate in the new program. A month after initiating the pilot program, tags were left on the customer's container advising them they were doing a good job or how they could improve. Staff also contacted each household to determine if they were participating. Many of those contacted indicated that they would participate if there was a better, less 3 "messy" way to get the food scraps to the green containers. After conducting research and contacting other cities, RRR staff determined that a kitchen food scraps pail was the most successful way to increase participation. Staff proposes that the fee for purchase of the kitchen food scrap pail be established at cost, currently $6.00 each, plus an administrative fee of $1.50 for a total one -time cost of $7.50. In the RCS 2010 review, it was determined that it takes 10 minutes of RRR administrative staff time to sell a compost bin. The administrative fee was set at $10.00. Staff estimates that it would only take a minute and a half to sell a kitchen food scrap pail, which equates to a $1.50 administrative fee. Staff estimates that 250 pails would be sold per year, increasing miscellaneous revenue by $1,625. The initial purchase of the kitchen pails would be reflected within the division's operating budget. Event Rental RRR received several inquiries concerning the rental of a trash truck as a fixed attraction for events and kids parties. RRR participates annually at the Santa Monica Festival and the operation of the remote collection arm of the trash vehicle is a huge draw with children lined up waiting for their turn. Staff proposes to offer the rental of the refuse truck for $50 per hour, with a two hour minimum and four hour maximum. The rental rate is based on two cost factors: staff time and vehicle costs. The staff time portion ($34.30) is based on the overtime rate of a RRR Equipment Operator at step 2. An RRR employee would stay with the vehicle and demonstrate its operation. The truck rental portion ($15.70) is based on the prior year vehicle maintenance and insurance costs divided by the in- service hours, Staff estimates 10 rental requests per year at two hour minimum, which would increase miscellaneous revenue by $1,000. 0 CEQA Compliance Approval of the Public Works service programs is categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15308, which exempts programs that maintain and protect the environment. Financial Impacts & Budget Actions The proposed new enclosure and expanded sidewalk washing for businesses, residential clean -a -can, green food collection pail, and event rental program and service fees are anticipated to provide $26,335 in additional annual revenues at account 27441.404170. The initial program expenditures of $1,500 for the purchase of the kitchen food pails and supplies for the clean -a- can program are included in the division's operating budget. Prepared by: Kim Braun, Resource Recovery & Recycling Manager Forwarded to Council: Rod Gould ° City Manager Attachments: 1 — Ordinance establishing Public Works service programs 2 — Resolution setting Public Works service program fees 61 City Council Meeting: December 13, 2011 Santa Monica, California ORDINANCE NO. (CCS) (CITY COUNCIL SERIES) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA ESTABLISHING NEW SERVICE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WHEREAS, Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.72 authorizes the establishment of fees for municipal services that are provided to or benefit individual users rather than the general public; and WHEREAS, the Public Works Department's Resource Recovery and Recycling Division desires to establish four new service programs that will be available to individual users; and WHEREAS, the new service programs will encourage community participation in activities that reduce waste and pollution and promote community health and aesthetics; and WHEREAS, the new service programs are voluntary programs that individual users may select, and the City will not require anyone to participate in these new service programs. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 5.08.560 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code is hereby added to read as follows: 5.08.560 Public works service programs. (a) The Public Works Department is authorized to establish the following service programs: 1 (1) Residential Clean —A —Can; (2) Kitchen Food Scrap Pail; (3) Enclosure and Pressure Washing; (4) Event Rental. (b) User fees shall be charged for these services in amounts to be set by resolution of the City Council not to exceed the City's cost of providing the services. (c) Any person using these services must pay the applicable user fee. SECTION 2. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to the extent necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance. SECTION 3. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional. SECTION 4. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days from its adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM: MARSHA J WS MOU RIE City Attorn 7 Reference Resolution No. 10645 (CCS).