Director reports Recology landfill agreement signed; environmental appeal, Board hearing set for Sept. 29

Director Debbie Raffel told the commission that she signed the agreement with Recology for landfill services and summarized two significant contractual changes: shortening the contract term to nine years with a potential six-year extension, and capping the average weekly number of trucks Recology can send to the landfill to ensure the environmental review remains valid. The signed contract reduces the previously estimated tonnage and provides firm term limits: 3,400,000 tons for the base term and 1,600,000 tons for the extension.

Raffel said the Planning Department issued a negative declaration for the project and that the department—s determination was appealed. The Planning Department unanimously upheld the appeal; appellants may next appeal to the Board of Supervisors. Raffel said that appeal is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2015, 30 days after her signing of the contract, and that implementation of the Recology agreement depends on the outcome and on the expiration of the city—s existing contract with Waste Management at the end of the calendar year.

Public commenter David Pilpel told the commission a lawsuit has been filed against the city related to the contract and urged the director to keep the commission apprised as litigation proceeds. Raffel and staff acknowledged the legal challenge and described the procedural next steps (appeal and Board hearing). The commission did not take an action on the contract itself at this meeting.