Council authorizes Burtek to use alternate disposal after Chiquita Canyon letter; Bertek may seek rate adjustment later

The Santa Clarita City Council voted to authorize the city manager to execute documents consenting to Burtek Waste Industries using a facility other than Chiquita Canyon Landfill for solid waste disposal after staff said Chiquita told Los Angeles County it would close active disposal operations effective Jan. 1, 2025.

"Chiquita informed Los Angeles County in a letter dated 12/31/2024 that they were closing active waste disposal operations effective 01/01/2025," said Darren Siegmiller, the city's environmental services manager, in a staff presentation explaining that Burtek provides collection services under the city's amended and restated agreement for garbage, recyclable materials and organic waste collection services.

Siegmiller told the council that because Chiquita's future acceptance of city tonnage is uncertain, Burtek requested permission to enter an agreement to dispose of city waste at Waste Management's Sun Valley Recycle Park transfer station; staff said the Sun Valley site has capacity and is near enough not to cause major service impacts. Siegmiller said approval would not immediately increase disposal rates, but would allow Burtek to pursue an extraordinary rate adjustment later; any such adjustment would require an independent third‑party analysis and a future council decision.

Public comment and council action: A public commenter identified as Bruce urged the council to consider alternative conversion technologies and said a private company had a solution; Councilmember Marsha McLean moved to accept staff's recommended action and the motion passed in a roll call with all council members voting yes.

What the authorization does: The council's vote permits the city manager to sign documents that may be required to confirm the city's consent for Burtek to use facilities other than Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Staff said specific agreements between Burtek and the alternate facility will determine the final terms and that the city will provide any required city letters or authorizations to facilitate those contracts.

Ending: Staff said Burtek must bring any request for a rate adjustment to the council later, together with a third‑party cost study financed by the company; the council did not set a new disposal rate at the meeting.