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Falls Church begins public discussion of replacing tax-funded curbside service with a fee; multifamily equity questioned
Summary
City staff said the council asked staff to revisit an option to replace general-tax support for curbside solid-waste service with a user fee; multifamily residents and property-owners urged clarity because many multifamily buildings pay taxes but do not receive curbside pickup.
At a Falls Church City budget town hall, City Manager Wyatt Shields told residents the council has asked staff to revisit a long-standing recommendation in the city’s solid waste management plan to consider a fee replacing tax support for curbside trash, recycling and optional compost pickup.
Shields said the council will discuss options at a work session on April 7 and that staff will post materials for public review. “What it’s going to be is taking the fall discussion and updating it with some additional thinking and some, some some more up to date numbers,” he said. He emphasized the staff’s view that the packet and an organized work session are the right places to walk through options rather than ad-libbing details.
Residents from multifamily buildings said the current arrangement is inequitable: Matt Adams of Park Towers said “multifamily, owners owners in multifamily, buildings, also pay the tax but do not receive the service,” and Gail Wadsworth, also from Park Towers, reminded the council she has raised the issue for decades and asked for comparisons with other jurisdictions.
Shields acknowledged the options are complex and said staff is not recommending expanding curbside service to all multifamily buildings because that would add major complexity to the service model. “Really, you know, what we'll where I I think this will be going is really discussing the the fee option or just keep it in the the general tax rate,” he said. He added that if the council pursues a fee, “the ordinance will be very clear about who pays that fee and who gets that service.”
Shields and residents noted differing approaches in nearby jurisdictions: some Northern Virginia localities build curbside service into general taxes while others use a stand-alone fee. Park Towers residents urged the council to publish comparative information so affected residents can assess potential impacts.
Staff has said curbside service today serves roughly 3,000 households (single-family and townhouses) and that multifamily buildings can have different arrangements; specific definitions of who would pay under a fee would be clarified in any ordinance the council approves.
