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CITY OF VANCOUVER POLICY REPORT
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Date: |
September 14, 2004 | |
Author: |
Kevin Van Vliet | |
Phone No.: |
873-7992 | |
RTS No.: |
4468 | |
CC File No.: |
3756 | |
Meeting Date: |
September 30, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Rate Structure for Automated Collection of Garbage and Yard Trimmings |
RECOMMENDATION
A. GARBAGE COLLECTION
i) THAT, beginning in 2006, the Solid Waste Utility fee structure for automated garbage collection include a fixed fee (Service Fee) and a price per unit volume fee (Cart Fee) for each cart with each fee recovering approximately 50% of program costs as outlined in this report. The actual 2006 fees for garbage collection will be set by Council in late 2005.
ii) THAT the fee for City sticker service be raised from $1.50 per sticker to $2.00 per sticker beginning July 1, 2005 to reflect more accurately the servicing costs of additional stickered garbage. The implementation date is to coincide with implementation of automated garbage collection.
iii) THAT Council adopt Garbage Service Administrative Policies G1 through G7 as referenced in this report and included in Appendix C to be implemented with automated garbage collection. These policies deal with general administrative issues such as minimum service, fees for change in service levels, etc.
B. YARD TRIMMINGS COLLECTION
i) THAT, beginning in 2007, the Solid Waste Utility fee structure for automated yard trimmings collection include a fixed fee (Service Fee) and a price per unit volume fee (Cart Fee) for each cart as outlined in this report. The actual 2007 fees for Yard Trimmings collection will be set by Council in late 2006.
ii) THAT Council adopt Yard Trimmings Administrative Policies Y1 through Y9 as referenced in this report and included in Appendix D, to be implemented with automated yard trimmings collection. These policies deal with several administrative issues such as minimum service, fees for changing service, properties served, etc.
C. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare a by-law to amend the Solid Waste and Recycling Bylaw to incorporate the policy changes and other miscellaneous amendments generally in accordance with the Policy Report dated September 14, 2004, entitled "Rate Structure for Automated Collection of Garbage and Yard Trimmings".
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager recommends approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
On May 3, 1994, Council agreed to support the Greater Vancouver Solid Waste Management Plan, which includes implementing user pay for solid waste programs.
On October 7, 1997, Council approved that the Solid Waste Utility be implemented on January 1, 1998. By establishing the utility, full program costs are recovered through fees.
On October 18, 2001 Council adopted a pricing policy for City garbage collection service that included a base Service Fee per property set out location and a Per Can Fee for each can of garbage service in use or allocated.
On January 29, 2004, Council approved implementation of fully automated garbage and yard trimmings collection beginning mid 2005 with full implementation by early 2007.
SUMMARY
This report sets a number of policies relating to the new automated garbage and yard trimmings collection programs. The policies are required now, prior to bringing program details and costs to the public this fall and winter. Users will select their cart sizes beginning December 2004 and ending March 2005. Delivery of carts for garbage service begins July 2005. Council will set final fees for each size of garbage cart in December 2005.
It is recommended that the fee structure for automated garbage service recover program costs using two components. A fixed Service Fee, the same for each cart, is set to recover 50% of program costs and a volumetric Cart Fee, which depends on cart size, the other 50%. This structure represents the true servicing costs of automated garbage collection, provides a good balance of the program goals, and helps minimize the risk of incorrectly estimating cart costs for the selection process.
A number of other administrative policies for garbage service are required at this time to set guidelines for program implementation and to ensure that all properties have appropriate disposal service to minimize costs and illegal dumping. Recommended administrative policies for garbage service are found in Appendix C.
A two component pricing structure for yard trimmings is also recommended. The fixed Service Fee would recover fixed program costs plus the cost of transfer and composting. The Cart Fee is set to recover collection costs. This structure is a fair representation of servicing costs, helps minimize subsidy of larger users by small users, recognizes the communal benefits of landscaping and provides a low risk, predictable and stable fee structure.
A number of other yard trimming program policies are recommended and found in Appendix D. One significant change from the current program is the elimination of the use of plastic bags in 2006. All yard trimmings must be set out in carts except during the fall, when unlimited amounts of leaves will also be accepted in Kraft (paper) bags to supplement the yard trimmings carts.
Council will set final fees for each size of yard trimmings cart in December 2006.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to set policy on the basic rate structure and administrative mechanisms for both the automated garbage and automated yard trimmings collection programs. These policies are required prior to informing the public this fall about the program choices (including estimated cart prices) and requesting them to choose cart sizes to meet their individual needs. The selection of cart sizes for both programs will begin in December 2004 and end in March 2005. The rate structure is based on a series of administrative policies designed to reflect Council policy and program goals.
BACKGROUND
The implementation of automated garbage and yard trimmings collection, which uses standard sized carts provided by the City, requires a change in the current fee and service allocation structure to reflect the use of carts provided by the City. It also provides a convenient opportunity to review the service allocation to ensure that it continues to meet the community's needs and works towards achieving a more sustainable city. This report recommends a fee structure for both programs, based on our existing fee structure policy, as well as a number of improvements to the allocation of our collection services.
The Solid Waste and Recycling Bylaw allocates city garbage service to all residential properties based on the number of dwelling units within the property (Appendix A). Under the current bylaw, apartments and rowhouses may choose not to have city service if they have garbage removal using a commercial container. Single family homes are allocated a minimum of 2 cans of service as are each dwelling unit in a strata duplex and rowhouse. Commercial properties may purchase city service on an annual fee-per-can basis. All residential properties may purchase additional service on a fee per can basis. In addition to the fee per can, users pay a base Service Fee for each location where their waste is set out to cover fixed and administrative program costs. The City provides garbage service to approximately 88,000 residential and commercial properties.
Residential properties receiving city garbage service are also allocated 4 items of yard waste collection service on a bi-weekly basis. The City provides yard trimmings collection service to approximately 87,000 properties.
Implementation of automated garbage collection will begin in July 2005 and is expected to be complete by December 31, 2005. Implementation of automated yard trimmings collection will begin in January 2006 and will be complete by June 2006.
The recommendations in this report try to balance the social, environmental and economic consequences of the policy decisions. Existing city policies and program goals have been used by Engineering Services to compare options and to form the basis of our recommendations. The existing policies and goals are grouped into social, environmental and economic categories and are outlined in Appendix B.
Some of the policy goals are not complementary. The result is that service allocation and pricing policy must be set to find a balance between the policy goals. Pricing policy choices are further complicated when one recognizes that we have a diverse customer base. The City services residential properties with between 1 and 15 dwelling units as well as smaller commercial properties.
DISCUSSION
This section of the report deals with the garbage and yard trimmings collection programs separately. The first section discusses options for fees for automated garbage collection and then recommends a number of policies that are necessary to proceed with program implementation. Section 2 then has the same discussion topics for yard trimmings collection.
SECTION 1. Automated Garbage Collection
Automated Garbage Collection Program - Fee Policy
Most of the City's clients receiving garbage collection services will be provided with a wheeled cart as part of the new automated waste collection program. It is intended to use five different cart sizes for garbage collection. These sizes are (approximately) 75, 120, 180, 240 and 360 litres in volume. The current two can limit provides for 200 litres of collection per collection period. The `average' garbage can currently in use is between 75 and 100 litres in volume.
Current pricing policy for garbage collection includes a Service fee of $27 and a charge per can of $32. This fee structure most accurately reflects servicing costs. Given the current two can minimum this fee structure results in a garbage fee of $91 per year for a single family dwelling.
The use of various fixed size carts allows the City to more readily move closer to true user pay for garbage disposal. The current system is user pay for those that use two full cans or more as they pay for each can. Those properties that regularly set out less than two full cans do not see any savings as they pay the same as those that use two full cans.
There is an almost infinite range of pricing options for a five cart system that uses two component pricing. Different pricing strategies can result in very different cart utilization rates. One of the biggest challenges, and sources of risk, is that the relationship between pricing and the cart sizes that our users will select is unknown as this is a completely new program in this market. Accordingly, it is important to implement carefully and provide flexibility for future changes.
At one end of the pricing spectrum is a system where all program costs are recovered through the fixed Service Fee. This would result in a flat fee of approximately $100 per cart, regardless of size. Users would tend to choose the largest carts that they could handle on their property since "they are paying for it anyway". This end of the pricing spectrum has smaller generators subsidizing the disposal of larger generators. The resultant fee is independent of cart size distribution and would not be considered user pay.
At the other end of the pricing spectrum is a system where all program costs are recovered on a unit volume basis and there is no fixed fee per cart. For example, a 240 litre cart would cost the user twice as much as a 120 litre cart. Users have a strong incentive to minimize their cart size, some to the point that they might choose to dispose of some of their garbage using inappropriate means. This end of the pricing spectrum has larger generators, which are likely multi-unit properties, subsidizing the disposal of smaller generators, likely single family homeowners. The fees under this scenario are very dependent on the final cart distribution, which is unknown. As a result this scenario has the highest risk and consequences of incorrectly predicting the fees in advance. For example, the fee for a 75 litre cart could range from about $50 per year if 20% of users chose them to $100 per year if 100% of users chose them.
Staff surveyed a number of cities across Canada and the U.S. that have variable fees for cart based collection. Of twenty-one (21) cities surveyed, seventeen (17) used a combination of fixed and variable cost pricing with a significant portion of revenues coming from fixed service fees.
It is recommended that Council set the initial fee structure so that 50% of program costs are recovered from "Service Fees" that are fixed per cart and 50% be recovered based on the size of the cart using a uniform price per litre volume. Table 1 demonstrates our estimate of cart use and pricing under this recommended scenario and compares it with existing garbage fees.
It must be noted that these are not final fees but are estimates to be used for people's choices. Final fees will depend on the actual distribution of various cart sizes as well as 2006 labour and equipment costs. Final fees for each cart size will be set by Council in December 2005.
Table 1: Example annual fees per cart for recommended pricing policy for garbage collection
Cart Volume: |
75 litre |
120 l. |
180 l. |
240 l. |
360 l. | |
Est. # Carts |
19,000 |
26,000 |
31,000 |
9,000 |
3,000 | |
Pricing: |
||||||
Base (Service Fee) |
$50 |
$50 |
$50 |
$50 |
$50 | |
Volume (Cart Fee) |
$25 |
$40 |
$60 |
$80 |
$120 | |
Price per cart |
$75 |
$90 |
$110 |
$130 |
$170 | |
Current pgm comparison |
200 litre |
200 l. |
200 l. |
300 l. |
400 l. | |
Current Fee: |
$91 |
$91 |
$91 |
$123 |
$155 | |
Note: For the few properties that will not be using automated containers it is recommended that the existing fee structure would continue to apply with the cost of cart supply and delivery not included in the calculation of those rates.
Staff are very sensitive to the relationship between pricing structure and program predictability (mainly price). The implementation team will be asking program users to select a cart size in early 2005, prior to the delivery of garbage carts beginning in July. Selection will be based on price, and the amount of garbage users believe that they generate. To ensure user satisfaction it is important that our predicted prices for garbage service, published this fall, be close to the final implementation price. As cost recovery from the fixed Service Fee goes down, the risk and magnitude of error goes up. It is felt that there are enough unknowns to justify a reasonably conservative approach to our pricing structure.
The recommended pricing structure supports the City's existing policies and the identified policy goals in the following manner:
Established City Policies:
1. Established policies of user pay, 2 component garbage fee, and ensuring cost recovery are maintained. This structure provides user pay benefits to all users and eliminates the current subsidy of larger generators by very small generators.
Economic Policy Goals
1. This pricing structure encourages users to select the appropriate cart size and reflects the cost of servicing.
2. This pricing structure is very flexible and can easily be adjusted to meet future social, economic and environmental goals.
3. This pricing structure reduces the risk of inaccurately predicting price and cart quantity while continuing to provide user pay options. As the pricing structure moves from 100% fixed costs to 100% variable costs it becomes much more difficult to predict the actual cart distribution and the pricing becomes much more sensitive to that distribution. In addition to reducing the risk of inaccurately predicting price, this structure also reduces the likelihood of having a significant inventory problem. For example, if users first select carts that are too small for them, then go back to a larger size, we will have a large inventory of small carts that may be in low demand.
Environmental Policy Goals
1. By improving on our current user pay program we continue to provide an incentive to minimize waste. It is believed that this pricing structure will provide enough balance so as to not create such a pricing incentive for people to undersize their containers (in an effort to save some money) and then find inappropriate methods of disposal (i.e. illegal dumping) or to purchase stickers for individual bags as these are costly to service.
Social policy Goals
1. Five cart size options is one of the widest selections available in the market allowing for greatest user flexibility, equity and fairness.
2. This structure fairly accurately represents the cost balance between fixed and variable costs, resulting in the most accurate and fair pricing system.
3. In fairly distributing collection costs, this pricing structure supports densification and compact communities by rewarding consolidation of waste services from many smaller containers to fewer larger containers while still rewarding smaller garbage producers with lower fees.
Garbage Sticker Pricing
The cost of servicing additional (manual) bags of garbage rises significantly with automation as it requires the driver to get out of the truck. This process can more than triple the time taken to service a property. For the sake of program efficiency it is important that the sticker cost for extra bags reflect the higher costs of manual servicing. Appropriately priced stickers will encourage users to select the correct cart size for their needs, as opposed to selecting the cheapest cart and relying on stickers. Heavy use of stickers will increase service costs as well as increase risk of injury to workers.
Garbage stickers are used throughout the GVRD with the current costs per sticker generally ranging from about $1.00 to about $2.00. It is recommended that the price for garbage stickers (for extra bags) be increased from $1.50 to $2.00 per sticker on July 1, 2005 to coincide with the start of automated garbage implementation.
Garbage Collection Program - Service Allocation
A user pay container program allows the City to be somewhat more flexible in service allocation. This is particularly true for low volume generators of garbage. To address inappropriate waste disposal from residential properties, it is recommended that the City continue to allocate garbage collection service to all residential properties based on the number of dwelling units (unless commercial container service is being received). It is recommended that program rollout and the 2006 Solid Waste bylaw reflect the Garbage Service Administrative Policies found in Appendix C.
The purpose of the Administrative Policies are to ensure that all properties have some disposal service and minimize illegal dumping, as well as to set guidelines for initial implementation.
SECTION 2. Automated Yard Trimmings Collection
Yard Trimmings Collection Program - Fee Policy
Yard Trimmings collection is a waste reduction program that is encouraged by the City, as is self management of yard trimmings through composting on site. At the same time it must be recognized that the need for yard trimmings collection varies significantly between homeowners in Vancouver. Some properties have very small yards, little greenery, and compost almost everything that they generate. These properties may require only minimal service. Other properties have large yards and could easily use multiple large containers for their yard trimmings disposal, even if they do some home composting. It is recommended that four cart sizes be offered for yard trimmings collection to reflect the varying needs and that the pricing vary somewhat between the different sizes offered. Four cart sizes were selected on the basis that the four sizes will already be in use for garbage service not because there is anticipated to be a large demand for different sizes.
It should also be recognized that, holistically, green space on private property benefits all residents of Vancouver through increased habitat for urban wildlife, reduced heat island effect and improved air quality. For these reasons Engineering Services feels that private greenery should be encouraged and that some City assistance in the management of private greenery as well as leaves from City street trees is warranted to help maximize overall community benefits.
Similar to garbage service, it is recommended that the yard trimmings fee structure consist of a fixed Service Fee per cart and a variable fee per unit volume (Cart Fee) to reflect the various sizes of carts. The recommended Service Fee is set to recover the following costs: administrative overhead (billing, Solid Waste Management Branch, Sanitation Operations Branch, and departmental / corporate overhead), education programs, backyard composter subsidy, Christmas tree chipping programs, cart supply, maintenance and replacement, and the cost to transfer and compost the yard trimmings. The cart fee ($/litre) component consists of collection costs (labour and equipment).
The recommended pricing structure for yard trimmings collection results in the estimated fees presented in Table 2:
Table 2: Example annual yard trimmings fees
Cart Volume: |
120 Litre. |
180 Litre. |
240 Litre. |
360 Litre. | |
Est. # Carts |
4,000 |
9,000 |
13,000 |
61,000 | |
Pricing: |
|||||
Base Service Fee |
$27 |
$27 |
$27 |
$27 | |
Volume (Cart Fee) |
$5 |
$7 |
$10 |
$15 | |
Price per cart |
$32 |
$34 |
$37 |
$42 | |
Current pgm comparison |
400 litre |
400 litre |
400 litre |
400 litre | |
Current Fee: |
$35 |
$35 |
$35 |
$35 | |
It must be noted that these are not final fees but are estimated to guide users in selecting a cart size late this year and early in 2005. Final fees will depend on the actual distribution of various cart sizes as well as the 2007 labour and equipment costs. Final fees for each cart size will be set by Council in December 2006.
The pricing structure for yard trimmings is recommended for the following reasons:
1. It reflects actual servicing costs. This will help minimize any subsidy of large users by smaller users. However this pricing policy continues to recognize a number of fixed costs that occur with each user in spite of container size, including the cost of composting street leaves.
2. It allows properties that do not need the service capacity of large containers to pay less than those that will use that capacity. The cost of increasing the container size is small which encourages use of larger containers for this waste reduction program. This is particularly desired to help residents cope with their fall leaves. Larger carts are less costly than using paper bags and much more desirable than sweeping leaves onto the street.
3. It provides pricing that is more predictable and stable, so there is low risk of error in estimating the future rates.
Yard Trimmings Collection Program - Service Allocation
Yard Trimmings collection services are provided to help divert compostable yard trimmings from disposal. It is recommended that the City continue to allocate Yard Trimmings Collection services to smaller residential properties that receive City garbage collection service. It is recommended that program rollout and the 2007 Solid Waste Bylaw reflect the Yard Trimmings Administrative Policies described in Appendix D. These policies reflect minimum service levels, options and defaults, fees for changing service size, etc.
Purchase of Carts - Garbage and Yard Trimmings
Staff issued a Request for Expressions of Interest to the various cart manufacturers/suppliers in early August to confirm cart costs and to determine cart size options. We used the results in the preparation of this report. Staff will issue a formal tender for carts at the beginning of October. The tender will be based on the five size options presented in this report and using the same base cart colour for both garbage and yard trimmings collection programs. Different colour lids will be used to differentiate the programs.
Using the same cart stock for both programs significantly reduces inventory and maintenance costs, while increasing program flexibility. Final colours will be chosen by Council in November when a purchase contract is expected to be awarded.
ALTERNATIVES/OPTIONS
Council can set alternate fee and allocation policies for both garbage and yard trimmings collection.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Solid Waste utility fees are set to recover all operating and most capital costs of implementation. When Council approved automation in January of this year, it was estimated that the annual cost increase for garbage collection would be approximately $890,000 per year and approximately $700,000 per year for yard trimmings. The final cost for trucks will be about what was expected, but based on information provided by cart suppliers that responded to our Request for Expression of Interest, cart costs will be significantly lower. As a result, the estimated cost increase for garbage will be approximately $570,000 per year and yard trimmings will be $400,000 per year approximately. For more information on program implementation costs see the January 29, 2004, report to the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets.
The pricing policy recommendations attempt to balance the goal of minimizing overall service costs with the added service of user pay pricing.
The financial impact of raising the price of garbage stickers from $1.50 to $2.00 is unknown because it is unclear how much demand for stickers there will be with the impact of automation plus the sticker price change. The City currently sells approximately 75,000 stickers per year.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
The recommended fee policies for both garbage and yard trimmings collection are intended to balance the social policy goals of user pay with collection efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in fewer emissions from collections. The recommended fee is also intended to minimize any incentives to illegally or improperly dispose of household garbage.
Encouraging the use of larger carts for yard trimmings collection will help minimize the amount of yard trimmings being disposed in the garbage stream and reduce the amount of fall leaves being raked into the street.
Yard trimmings carts and a ban on the use of plastic bags for yard trimmings will eliminate the disposal of over 40 tonnes per year of plastic bags.
IMPLEMENTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Engineering Services requires Council to set policies around the funding and allocation of the new automated garbage collection program prior to starting our awareness and education campaign which will culminate in residents selecting waste container sizes that best meet their needs. Consistent with previous Solid Waste outreach efforts, written materials will be available in multiple languages. The overall implementation plan for the automated collection program is as follows:
Fall 2004. Begin "Plan for the Can" campaign to increase resident's awareness and ensure that they begin thinking about their waste generation and watch for our mailed information. It is intended that the Plan for the Can campaign includes displays at some community centres and staffed displays at some malls. This will allow people to physically see the various cart options. Our goal is to have carts available for convenient pubic viewing from November 2004 through March 2005.
December 2004. The CityNews notice (mailed with the early tax bill) will include information about automation and encourage users to select their can sizes.
Early January 2005. Delivery of our collection calendar (via bulk mail) will include detailed information about automation and ask users to select cart sizes. Users will be able to respond via mail, email, telephone, fax and our website. The City website will contain all information in the mailout.
March 2005. Those property owners that have not selected a container size will be mailed the information package and requested to review the options and reply if they want something other than the default.
July - December 2005. Deliver garbage containers to all users, make any required size corrections. Users will use the new carts as soon as they are delivered. Progress updates will be printed in local newspapers.
December 2005. Council sets final fees for each size of garbage cart.
January - June 2006. Deliver yard trimmings containers to all users, make any required size corrections. Users will use the new carts as soon as they are delivered. Progress updates will be printed in local newspapers.
May 2006. First charge for automated garbage service.
December 2006. Council sets final fees for each size of yard trimmings carts.
May 2007. First charge for automated yard trimmings service.
CONCLUSION
Automated garbage and yard trimmings collection is a very significant change in the way these services are delivered. The pricing structure of the carts and the demand for the various cart sizes are directly related. The exact relationship is unknown which makes predicting cart distribution and pricing extremely difficult.
Engineering Services is recommending that a relatively cautious approach be taken for the initial pricing structure for both garbage and yard trimmings collection. The intent of this approach is to minimize the difference between the cart prices that we currently tell people they can expect when they choose a cart size in early 2005 and the price that they actually pay in 2006. After implementation it will be easier to gradually shift the pricing structure should Council wish to adjust the cost of disposal to the various quantity generators.
* * * * *
APPENDIX A
GARBAGE CAN COLLECTION SERVICE (Existing)
A. RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
The following allocation applies to residential properties.
Number of
|
Allocated Garbage
|
1 unit |
2 cans |
2 units |
2 cans |
3 units |
3 cans |
4 units |
3 cans |
5 units |
4 can |
6 units |
4 cans |
7 units |
5 cans |
8 units |
5 cans |
9 units |
6 cans |
10 units |
6 cans |
11 units |
7 cans |
12 units |
7 cans |
13 units |
8 cans |
14 units |
8 cans |
15 units |
9 cans |
16 units |
9 cans |
17 or more
|
10 cans |
APPENDIX B
Existing City Policy and waste management program goals used in the evaluation of pricing and service allocation alternatives.
Established City Policy:
User Pay for garbage disposal. This policy was established in 1994 and is consistent with the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. The policy is intended to discourage waste production and encourage the 3 R's. Those who produce more garbage pay more (or those who produce less, pay less).
2 Component Garbage Fee. The policy of using two components for garbage fees, a fixed Service Fee (also called Stop Fee) to cover the cost of overhead, billing, etc. and a unit cost per can of garbage service, was established in October of 2001.
Ensure cost recovery. Ensure that the solid waste fees are fully recovered and cover the cost of the collection programs.
Economic policy goals
Minimize overall program costs. Minimal program costs results in the lowest average fees.
Program Flexibility. Ensure that solid waste collection programs remain flexible and adaptive to change.
Minimize pricing risk and variability. Ensure that program pricing remains predictable and relatively stable.
Environmental policy goals
Minimize disposal. Minimize the quantity of waste disposed and encourage waste reduction, reuse and recycling.
Minimize incentive to illegally dump, maximize incentive to take responsibility for one's waste. Pricing and ease of use for waste disposal services, especially under a system of user pay, must be carefully managed so as not to create an incentive to pollute (or illegally dump). Illegal dumping would include placing garbage in one's yard trimmings container.
Minimize collection efforts to minimize environmental impact of collection. Collection of each of the waste streams requires the use of fossil fuels and results in some air and noise pollution. A collection program that maximizes collection efficiency should help minimize environmental impacts as well as costs.
Social policy goals
User Satisfaction / value for service. Ensure that our users feel that they are obtaining good value for their solid waste utility fees
User Flexibility. Allow users options around service levels to accommodate various user requirements and needs. In addition to better meeting the individual needs of our existing customer base, this goal might include better bridging the existing service gap between users of our manual service and larger commercial containers.
Equity and Fairness. Be equitable and fair in the allocation, options and pricing of solid waste collection services. This goal includes trying to most accurately reflect service levels and costs and minimize unintended cross subsidization between users.
Support for Compact Communities. Ensure that allocation and pricing support, not penalize, increased densification and compact communities.
Transparency. Ensure that our collection programs are easy to understand and that there is a clear understanding of service value for fees paid.
APPENDIX C
GARBAGE SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES
These policies set the administrative criteria and allocation levels set by bylaw.
G1 Minimum Service per Dwelling Unit
That the mandatory minimum service allocation to all residential properties serviced by the City be 50 litres of volume per dwelling unit. Fifty litres per dwelling unit allocation was chosen based on survey results of City of Vancouver setouts at multi-unit properties. In addition this service allocation is relatively easy to understand and count for the average resident. Fifty litres per dwelling unit will result in the minimum service allocations described in Table 3. Table 3 also shows what the minimum allocations mean in terms of minimum cart sizes.
Table 3: Proposed 50 litres/dwelling unit minimum allocation for garbage service
Number of
|
New Minimum Volume (litres) |
Practical Minimum
|
Current Minimum Allocation (litres) |
1 |
50 |
75 litre |
200 |
2 |
100 |
120 litre |
200 |
3 |
150 |
180 litre |
300 |
4 |
200 |
3x75;130+75;240; etc. |
300 |
Etc... |
G2 Houses with 1 or 2 dwellings
That the default size allocation to residential properties with two or fewer dwelling units be the 180 litre cart (based on current average single family dwelling generation rates). Default size means the size of container the City will provide to a user unless the user requests otherwise. A change in the allocation will be made upon request by the property owner or resident to any size above the minimum allocation. The purpose of this recommendation is to deliver the appropriate container volume to the average 1-3 dwelling unit property to minimize illegal dumping and minimize the number of cart size changes. This is especially important during the initial distribution of carts.
G3 Strata Duplexes
That strata title duplexes be allocated a minimum of one 75 litre cart per dwelling unit and that the default allocation to strata title duplexes be 180 litre carts for each dwelling unit, similar to that of single family homes.
G4 Rowhouses
That Rowhouses be provided service to the strata corporation, which may consolidate the number of cans to the calculated minimum volume set out in G1 above. Service to the Strata Corporation will include all unit owners.
G5 Administrative Fee to change Service Level
That, beginning July 1, 2005, an administrative fee per cart may be charged to change cart size. This reflects some of the actual costs of changing the size and provides an incentive to users to initially make the correct selection. Currently, a change in service levels costs $25.00.
G6 Pro-rate Fees
That billing for garbage collection be pro-rated by calendar day. This policy determines how to bill for mid-year changes in services.
G7 No Fee to Replace Carts
That there be no fee to replace a lost, stolen or damaged cart. This issue will need to be reviewed in 2007 or 2008.
APPENDIX D
YARD TRIMMINGS ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES
These policies set the administrative criteria and service allocation levels set by bylaw.
Y1 No Maximum Service Level
That property owners be allowed to purchase as many carts, and cart sizes, as they wish to accommodate the composting needs of their properties (subject to the minimum allocation).
Y2 Minimum Service Levels for Single Family Homes, Duplexes
That the mandatory minimum allocation be one 120 litre size container per property for single family dwellings and that the mandatory minimum allocation be one 120 litre size container per dwelling unit for strata duplexes. The 120 litre size containers are the smallest recommended size to be used in the yard trimmings collection program as the 75 litre size costs more to provide and generally have the same exterior dimensions as the 120 litre size.
Y3 Rowhouses and Apartments Service to Strata Corp.
That strata title rowhouses and apartments be provided service to the strata corporation only. This is not applicable to strata title duplexes. This helps reduce billing costs and is reflective of the way most strata properties operate in having landscaping costs be communal.
Y4 Rowhouses and apartments may opt out
That rowhouses and apartments (rental and strata title) be allowed to opt-out of City yard trimmings collection. Many of these properties already pay landscapers to remove their yard trimmings. Currently these properties pay for four items of yard trimmings per collection period whether they use the service or not.
Y5 Default size = 360 litre cart
That the default size allocation to a residential property be 360 litres. Default size means the size of container the City will provide to a user unless the user requests otherwise. A change in the default allocation will be made upon request by the property owner (or representative) to a smaller cart size. The largest size is suggested to encourage the use of the program and help ensure that residents can meet the seasonal peaks without having to rely on costly paper bags. The 2002 automation pilot showed that this was the appropriate cart size for 83% of users.
Y6 $25.00 Fee to Change Service Level
That there be an administrative fee to change the cart size of $25.00 per cart beginning January 1, 2006 to coincide with program implementation.
Y7 Pro-rate Fees
That billing for yard trimmings collection be pro-rated by calendar day. This policy determines how to bill for mid year changes in service.
Y8 No Fee to Replace Cart
That there be no fee to replace a lost, stolen or damaged cart. This issue will need to be reviewed in 2007 or 2008.
Y9 Only Carts and Paper Bags Accepted
That plastic bags in any form not be acceptable forms for yard trimmings collection, only rigid containers and kraft (paper) bags. Further to this, that unlimited amounts of fall leaves be accepted as long as any amount above that does not fit into a cart are set out in kraft paper bags. The yard trimmings collection program currently accepts unlimited amounts of fall leaves in paper or plastic bags. This policy is consistent with past reports on automation and the goal of reducing worker injuries.
