ITEM 6-C
Council Meeting: March 24, 1992
To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Staff
Subject: Recommendation to Approve Resolution Regarding Regional
Cooperation on Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
INTRODUCTION
On November 14, 1991, the cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills,
Culver City, Los Angeles and West Hollywood convened a conference
in Santa Monica on solid waste issues under the auspices of the
Westside Cities Summit Group. This report describes the various
joint resolutions which were approved at the Five Cities
Environmental Summit and requests Council adoption of a
resolution which incorporates by reference these actions from the
Summit.
DISCUSSION
Prompted by concerns about detrimental environmental impacts from
the unrestrained generation of solid waste in California, the
State Legislature approved legislation in 1989 (AB 939) requiring
that all cities, counties and sanitation districts in California
divert 25 percent of their solid waste from landfills by 1995 and
50 percent by the year 2000. Over the past two years, each of the
cities which is a member of the Westside Cities Summit Group has
been preparing their respective AB 939 documents. As this
drafting process has progressed, it has become increasingly
evident that regional cooperation on solid waste management
efforts will be a key component in the ultimate success of each
city's AB 939 plan.
In response to this heightened interest in regional cooperation
on solid waste issues, a Five Cities Environmental Summit meeting
was convened. Approximately ninety elected officials, staff
members, board and commission members, representatives of
environmental groups, state and county officials and members of
the public attended the Summit. Six major topic areas were
covered at the summit meeting as described below:
o Material Recovery Facilities: The case for regional action
Proposal: To examine the feasibility of four or five cities
sharing a materials recovery facility.
o Composting: In search of common processing sites
Proposal: To examine the feasibility of four or five cities
sharing a centralized composting facility.
o Market Development of Recyclables
Purpose: To examine mechanisms for joint marketing and
performing a market study.
o Household Hazardous Waste: Minimizing the problem and
containing the costs
Proposal: To commit to the implementation of waste
minimization policies and ordinances; determine a mechanism
for joint activities regarding hazardous waste reduction;
and explore the establishment of permanent household
hazardous waste collection facilities.
o Source Reduction: How do we really make it happen?
Proposal: To initiate variable can rates in the Westside
area.
o Recycling and the Development Community
Proposal: That the five cities develop similar requirements
for recycling construction waste following demolition
activities, and assuring that appropriate space is provided
for recycling in new facilities.
The discussion at the Summit Conference surrounding each of these
issues resulted in the drafting of six separate conference
resolutions. In addition to these main conference resolutions, a
set of six "consent" resolutions was presented to conference
participants for review and action. The topic area and a brief
summary of each of these consent resolutions are as follows:
Joint Coordinating Committee -- That staff from the five
cities meet once a month to coordinate AB 939 activities,
hear speakers about specific topics and develop jointly
funded and sponsored projects including the establishment of
model solid and hazardous waste reduction measures in city
operations.
Waste Reduction Education -- To participate jointly in
developing workshops, informational brochures and videos
about specific sources of waste. These will be targeted for
both the commercial sector and the consumer.
City Use of Compost and Mulch -- That each city will use
composted soil amendments as a first source of materials for
use in city parks and other municipally owned open space.
Backyard Composting -- That the five cities participate
jointly in the development of a backyard composting campaign
including public education, joint purchase of composting
bins and participation in a "leave it on the lawn" campaign.
Procurement of Recycled Products -- To purchase recycled
products to the maximum extent feasible and establish a
committee of recycling coordinators and purchasing agents to
develop uniform specifications and coordinate joint
purchasing.
Waste Exchange -- To inform businesses and the media about
the State's waste exchange program, to sponsor a workshop
conducted by the Integrated Waste Management Board on the
waste exchange program, and to direct city purchasing
departments to use the exchange.
All of the resolutions outlined above were adopted at the
conclusion of the conference by acclamation of the participants.
Since convening the Five Cities Environmental Summit, progress
has been made towards implementation of many of the resolutions.
A Westside Cities Waste Management Committee has been established
and has held its first two meetings to develop an action plan for
each of the resolutions. In the meetings of the Westside Cities
Summit Group subsequent to the conference, the discussion of
implementation plans for the resolutions was identified as a high
priority for the group. Officials from each of the westside
cities expressed a commitment to follow through on the promising
start which was engendered by the Five Cities Environmental
Summit meeting.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT
Council adoption of the attached resolution will not result in
any budget or fiscal impact as it represents a statement of
policy objectives and not an approval of specific programmatic
efforts.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that City Council approve the attached
resolution which incorporates by reference the resolutions
promulgated by the Five Cities Environmental Summit.
Prepared by: Lynne Barrette, Assistant City Manager
Craig Perkins, Environmental Services Manager
Resolution Number ________
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
PERTAINING TO REGIONAL COOPERATION
ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ISSUES
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS, The State of California is experiencing serious
environmental problems related to the management of solid waste;
and
WHEREAS, State legislation (AB 939) requires that all cities,
counties and sanitation districts in California reduce their
volume of trash hauled to landfills by 25 percent prior to 1995
and by 50 percent by the year 2000; and
WHEREAS, The achievement of a reduction in the volume of solid
waste which is hauled to landfills will result in significant
long-term environmental and financial benefits to the City of
Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, The City of Santa Monica is currently involved in a
collaborative process with the neighboring jurisdictions of
Beverly Hills, Culver City, Los Angeles and West Hollywood
through the Westside Summit Cities group to arrive at consensus
solutions to regional problems; and
WHEREAS, The Westside Summit Cities recently sponsored a Five
Cities Environmental Summit meeting to discuss the need for
regional cooperation on solid waste problems; and
WHEREAS, The Five Cities Environmental Summit meeting resulted in
the adoption, by acclamation, of various specific resolutions on
solid waste and recycling related issues;
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Monica does
resolve as follows:
1. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica supports the
process to identify and pursue regional cooperation to
achieve solutions to solid waste management problems.
2. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica adopts the
attached six resolutions and six concurrence resolutions
approved by the Five Cities Environmental Summit and
establishes these resolutions and concurrent resolutions as
policy goals of the City on solid waste and recycling
issues.
3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this
resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be
in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM
______________________
Robert M. Myers
City Attorney