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Memo - Proposal for Changes To Yard Waste and Bush Services . " . . . Public Works Depal1rnent Memorandun1 To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Copy: /' .. ~c----, ,'--'" .. t. '.:. \,_J Steven C. Mielke, City Manager From: Steven J. Stadler, Public Works Director Vu Penny Cleve, Recycling Coordinator Date: January 23, 2003 Subject: Proposal for Changes to Yard Waste and Brush Services At the April 30, 2002 City Council Work session, Public Works presented a proposed change to the City's yard waste and brush pickup services (see attached April 25, 2002 memo). The basic goals and elements of the proposed program are very close to the previously described . program but there have been some revisions. The goals of the program changes are to: 1) Continue efficient, dependable service; 2) Simplify to more easily understood services and fees; 3) Increase program revenues; 4) Keep resident services above private industry standards and costs within industry standards. What follows is a summary of the proposed yard waste and brush program. · It is helpful to divide the city into two service areas. Service area 1: the areas where fall street pickup service is provided, i.e., Hobby Acres, Belgrove, Interlachen and Park Ridge neighborhoods. Service area 2: All other areas of the city. · We have also divided the levels of available service. There is full curbside brush and yard waste service - FULL SERVICE and fall yard waste (leaf) pickup service only- LEAF PICKUP SERVICE, · Program would change from a call-in brush pickup and stickered bag yard waste pickup to a subscribed, annual fee service program. · Residents in service area 2 desiring full service would pay $48/year, billed monthly on their utility bill. If only leaf pickup service was desired, residents would pay $24/year. · Service area 2 leaf pickup service would consist of weekly bag pickup on the refuse collection day during the months of October and November. · Weekly fall yard waste pickup for full service customers would extend through November with additional pickup after that at Public Works discretion - mainly dependent on weather conditions. · Service area 1 (Hobby Acres, Belgrave, Interlachen, and Park Ridge) desiring continued Fall street pickup of leaves would be required to petition the city for this service. Upon receipt of the petition the city would institute a $24 annual assessment to all area properties. · Residents not subscribing to yearly yard waste and brush pickup would still have the option of calling-in for curbside pickup at a set fee/pickup. e · Yard waste stickers are eliminated. · Subscribers would not be required to call-in for weekly service. · Brush pickup for full service customers would be biweekly (refuse routes 1 and 2: pickup on the 15t and 3rd Fridays each month and refuse routes 3 and 4: pickup on the 2nd and 4th Fridays each month) · Revenues for curbside service and fall street pickup programs would increase dramatically. · City "free" services would be limited to the semi-annual bulk drop-off program and the yard waste/brush drop-off program. Service Area 1: Neighborhoods with rail street pickup of leaves: (Hobby Acres, Belgrove, Interlachen. and Park Ridge) Residents in these areas would have three options: Option A. If the association chooses to stay with the street pickup, then they will be required to petition the city for the service and then be assessed at $24/year/property. Option B. If a resident of any association chooses to subscribe to additional bagged yard waste pickup and brush pickup there will be an additional $24/year charge. This charge would be billed monthly on the utility bill. The total annual fee would be $48/year. The City would provide pickup of all bagged yard waste from the third . week in April through October. Street pick up of yard waste to take place first week in November on assigned day. There will be no curbside leaf bag pick up after street pick up. Curbside brush pick up will be provided year round. Christmas tree pick up will be done the first two weeks in January. Option C. If a neighborhood association chooses to not continue the street pickup service, then each resident will individually choose whether or not to subscribe to the full service or leaf pickup service at $48/year or $24/year, respectively. Service Area 2: All other areas of the City of Hopkins Full service: Weekly yard waste bag pickup - 3rd Week of April through November + biweekly brush pickup year round + Christmas tree pickup. $48/year billed monthly. Leaf pickup service: Weekly yard waste (leaf) bag pickup during months of October and November only. $24/year billed monthly. Brush, Yard Waste and Bulk Drop Off services These services would not change. Proposed education and implementation plan If City Council approves of the proposed changes, staff proposes the following plan. e .. . . . February 11, 2003: Letters mailed to all refuse customers explaining proposed new program, reasons for the changes, proposed timetable and invitIng them to attend a public meeting. The letter will include a feedback form I as well. There will be two separate letters and two separate public meetings, one for the fall street pickup neighborhoods and a second for all other residents. February 27: Public meeting for all residents not including the fall street pickup neighborhood residents March 3: Public meeting for residents living in the fall street pickup neighborhoods March 11: Report feedback to City Council March 17: Mail program change announcement letter including enrollment form and return envelope March 26 or April 2: Sun Sailor article Initial enrollment period extends to May 1 April 14 - May 9: Citywide free spring pickup - yard waste and brush, last free pickup during transition into new program. May 1 - May 9: Compile subscriber list May 12: Start new brush and yard waste pickup program Staff concerns/challenges: Staff is still uncertain exactly how best to charge the neighborhood areas with fall street pickup of leaves. The proposal calls for an association petitIon and subsequent assessment to all property owners. There are presently unanswered questions on how much administrative work this may entail each year. Another concern has to do with the new storm water management rules - although not specifically restricted I the street pickup of leaves results in sediment and leaf particles left behind in the streets that are washed into the storm sewers. This is contrary to the intent of the new storm water management rules, i.e., reduce the amount of sediments and organic pollutants reaching the receiving waters.