COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

 

DATE:

June 20, 2011

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 28, 2011

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

Required Notification

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

James C. Porter, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Setting a Public Hearing to Adopt the Garbage and Recyclables Collection Service Charges Report in County Service Area No. 8 (North Fair Oaks Area)

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Acting as the governing board of County Service Area No. 8, adopt a Resolution at your regularly scheduled Board meeting setting July 26, 2011 at 9:00 AM as the time and place for a public hearing on the filing of the Garbage and Recyclables Collection Service Charges Report for County Service Area No. 8 (North Fair Oaks) for Fiscal Year 2011-12.

 

BACKGROUND:

On October 20, 2009, your Board adopted Resolution No. 070423 which approved a new franchise agreement with Recology San Mateo County (Recology) to provide services for the collection of recyclable materials, organic materials, and solid waste in County Service Area No. 8 (CSA-8), and the remainder of the unincorporated South Bayside Waste Management Authority Service Area (Burlingame to Menlo Park) for a term of January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2020.

 

On February 15, 2011, acting as the governing board of CSA-8, your Board adopted the garbage and recyclables collection rates, effective March 1, 2011.

 

DISCUSSION:

The County generates the revenue to pay the contractor for service to residential dwellings in CSA-8 by charging fees based on pick-up units for each affected parcel that meets the criteria outlined in County Ordinance Code 4.04.220. These fees are defined and adopted each fiscal year in the Garbage and Recyclables Collection Service Charges Report (Charges Report) for County Service Area No. 8 and placed on the tax roll. The commercial and industrial properties that do not have the charges placed on the County tax roll are billed directly by the contractor pursuant to the franchise agreement.

The County Ordinance Code requires your Board to hold a public hearing to consider public testimony prior to adopting the Charges Report based on the rates adopted by your Board. The recommended action, adopting a Resolution setting the time and place for the public hearing, is the first step in the process and is procedural. After the close of the public hearing, the Board may adopt the individual charges as presented, or revise, change, reduce or modify any charge in the report.

 

Adoption of the Charges Report for FY 2011-12 and its filing with the Clerk of the Board will result in the user charges contained therein being placed on the tax roll. These charges will appear on the FY 2011-12 tax bill of each affected property and will be collected in the same manner as the property taxes. The charges reflect the current rates, which includes a five percent (5%) increase for residential and commercial parcels with cart service from the previous fiscal year. This represents a cost increase for the minimum level of service for residential customers from $23.52 to $24.70 per month (64-gallon cart pick-up one time per week).

 

The remaining unincorporated County areas covered by the franchise agreement are billed directly by Recology and the garbage and recyclables collection charges are not placed on the tax bill.

 

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.

 

Approval of this action will contribute to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Collaborative Community by engaging residents in the process of adopting the Charges Report and levying the fees on the tax roll in order to provide for continued garbage and recycling collection services in CSA-8.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action of setting a public hearing. Staff time involved in preparing the Garbage and Recyclables Collection Service Charges Report for CSA-8, administrative documents, and public advertisement of the hearing is part of the administrative cost associated with managing the garbage collection and recycling services in CSA-8 and is financed with CSA-8 funds.