HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 3/9/2021 - Memorandum From Lucinda Smith And Caroline Mitchell Re: Hauler Request To Delay Implementation Of Community Recycling Ordinance For BusinessesEnvironmental Services
222 Laporte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6600
fcgov.com/environmental services
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 4, 2021
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kyle Stannert, Deputy City Manager
Jacqueline Kozak Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer
FROM: Lucinda Smith, Environmental Services Director
Caroline Mitchell, Environmental Program Manager
SUBJECT: Hauler Request to Delay Implementation of Community Recycling Ordinance for
Businesses
_________________________________________________________________________________
Bottom Line
The purpose of this memo is to request Council feedback on a request submitted by Republic
Services to delay the final implementation date of the Community Recycling Ordinance for commercial
customers (not multifamily units) from June 30, 2021 to November 30, 2021.
If Councilmembers are interested in exploring a delay, they may raise their interest under
at a City Council meeting. If this topic has not been raised by Councilmembers by March
17, 2021, staff will reply to Republic Services that their request was not acted upon.
Background
The Community Recycling Ordinance, enacted by City Council in 2016, included a requirement that
private haulers provide recycling service to businesses and apartment complexes by December 31,
2020. It included a long roll out time at the request of local haulers.
In April 2020, City Council approved a delay in the full implementation deadline for the CRO to June
30, 2021, due to impacts of COVID.
This year, Republic Services (the company that purchased Gallegos Sanitation Inc) has requested an
additional delay for commercial customers to November 30, 2021. See attached request letter.
Among other reasons, Republic Services cites impacts to businesses from COVID:
Local businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19. With staff reductions, revenue losses,
closures, increased expenses, and the many other debilitating factors this pandemic brought to
our community, we feel the timing is not optimal for businesses that are suffering; with the
general public slated for vaccinations in Colorado, we believe the end of November 2021 would
be reasonable to onboard all customers.
We have not received a request to delay the CRO implementation from the other haulers serving Fort
Collins.
Considerations
In January, the Economic Health Office asked for feedback on this topic from representatives of
the business community and business partners. Perspectives were shared that businesses are still
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struggling and CRO implementation feels like it adds to the more factor. There was
interest in delaying the ordinance.
Implementation Progress
The three haulers providing this service in Fort Collins report the following information:
# of Commercial
Customers w/o
Recycling
# Multi-Family
Customers w/o
Recycling
Hauler 1 4 0
Hauler 2 500 67
Hauler 3 400 9
When the CRO was adopted in 2016, it was estimated at that time that 1600 commercial customers
did not have recycling.
Next Steps
If this issue is not raised by City Council by March 17, 2021, staff will inform Republic Services
that their request was not acted upon.
If Council expresses an interest in delaying the CRO per Republic Services request, it could
be accomplished via these avenues:
o An Emergency Regulation related to COVID-19 impacts, to be followed by Council
ratification
o A standard ordinance process requiring two readings
Attachment
CRO Delay Request Letter from Republic Services
RE: Community Recycling Ordinance MFU & Commercial Business Recycling
2/12/2021
Dear City of Fort Collins Waste Reduction and Recycling Department:
We want to thank you for your pledge to waste diversion and continued efforts toward the Road to
rvices is
committed to keeping communities clean and providing a Healthy Blue Planet.
We recognize the City of Fort Collins and Gallegos Sanitation, Inc. (GSI) had previously been in
discussions, over the years, regarding the Community Recycling Ordinance. Most recently, it was
determined GSI was at approximately 72% to goal of onboarding businesses and MFUs with recycling,
and it was noted GSI requested a second extension to complete the process, which was not granted
by the City in mid-January of 2021.
As Republic Services, we understand pursuant to Section 15-413 of the Fort Collins Municipal Code,
any commercial or multi-family customer receiving solid waste (trash) collection services shall subscribe
to a collection service for recyclables that is not less than one-third of the total collection volume by a
collector licensed to provide such services within the City. Collection volume (including both solid
waste and recyclables) is based on the size of the containers and the service frequency. Any person
who owns or operates a business or multi-family complex may apply for a variance with the following
provisions:
Space constraints
Self-hauling of recyclables to a recycling drop-off center
Utilization of a separate licensed recycling collection provider
Failure to generate recyclables
Only available location for recycling bin is not safely serviceable by hauler
Republic Services is excited to partner with the City of Fort Collins and continue the collaborative
dialogue. At this juncture, however, we are requesting the CRO date of final customer onboarding be
moved to November 30, 2021 for the following reasons:
1. Republic Services acquired Gallegos Sanitation, Inc. on January 1, 2021. Being new to the
Northern Colorado market, we recognize the City conducted extensive outreach at the onset
of the CRO discussion in 2016 and years prior with GSI.
We are concerned of the optics and as the national
perceive the former family-owned trash hauler is out and Republic Services is the one
responsible for mandating recycling at complexes and business during an extremely
challenging economical time.
1941 Heath Parkway Unit 2 Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-484-5556 / republicservices.com
2. Our drivers have experienced long wait times at the Larimer County Recycling Center and
adding 480-500 customers will only compound the issues at hand. We are currently in
discussions with officials at Larimer County to determine a timeline for possible solutions
Please see below for a complete breakdown of wait times our trucks experienced since the
first of this year through the first week of February:
60-90 minutes in 28 cases
30-60 minutes in 103 cases
29-20 minutes 55 cases
:16-19 minutes 89 cases
3. Local businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19. With staff reductions, revenue losses,
closures, increased expenses, and the many other debilitating factors this pandemic brought
to our community, we feel the timing is not optimal for businesses that are suffering; with the
general public slated for vaccinations in Colorado, we believe the end of November 2021
would be reasonable to onboard all customers.
4. Enforcement of the CRO: We understand the city has identified a staff member to ensure the
CRO is implemented. We are requesting a written plan for how the CRO will be enforced for all
haulers.
5. Public Communication: We would further like to propose the City to
PSA/outreach regarding this mandated program.
6. Granting of Variances: Last week, it was determined only a handful of variance forms had been
submitted to the City (and not yet approved). We understand there are many customers who
meet one or more of the variance qualifications listed on page 1 of this letter, and they have
yet to apply.
consideration of our request. As the front-runner of commercial recycling in Fort Collins, Republic
Services strives to continue providing the very best sustainable services and do it in a way that is
equitable and well-timed.
To arrange a meeting, please contact Laine Connolly, Division Administrative Assistant- Northern
Colorado/Southern Wyoming, at mconnolly@republicservices.com or by phone at (970) 775-3975.
Sincerely,
Thomas Maxwell
General Manager
Northern Colorado/Southern Wyoming