San Luis Obispo council restates garbage franchise, adopts 2025 solid-waste rate increase

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The San Luis Obispo City Council on March 18 approved an updated franchise agreement with San Luis Garbage Company and adopted the city's 2025 integrated solid-waste rates following a public hearing and staff briefing.

The council voted 5-0 to introduce and then advance to second reading an ordinance restating the city's existing solid-waste, recycling and organics franchise agreements into a single “discarded materials” agreement, and separately adopted a resolution setting the 2025 rates after city staff said a mailed Proposition 218 protest did not reach the required majority.

The package negotiated with San Luis Garbage (SLG), which operates under Waste Connections, included multiple customer-facing service enhancements staff said were requested during outreach and community events. Utilities Director Aaron Floyd and Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager Meg Buckingham said those additions are intended to reduce illegal dumping and help lower-income residents afford service.

Key service changes the council approved include: - A customer assistance program offering a 20% discount to eligible low-income residential customers enrolled in cart service (cart sizes discussed were 20, 32 and 64 gallons); current water/sewer assistance enrollees will be notified about the new offering. - Free bulky-item collection: single-family customers may schedule up to three no-cost bulky-item pickups per year; multifamily properties may schedule up to 12; some pickups must be scheduled during SLG’s semiannual cleanup weeks. - One no-cost annual cart exchange for cleanliness, odor or damage (replacements for normal wear-and-tear do not count toward the exchange limit). - No-cost…