Glendale staff seek to overhaul commercial solid-waste rates to cover rising costs; council gives partial consensus

City staff on Dec. 9 proposed restructuring Glendale’s commercial solid-waste rates to cover rising operating costs and preserve landfill capacity. Michelle Wittenkel, director of field operations, and Deputy Director Michael Carr said increases in diesel, insurance, vehicle replacement costs and state disposal fees have made current 2010-based tiers insufficient, and recommended a simplified per-yard charge for front-load service and a new flat-rate, shorter rental model for roll-off containers.

The proposal, presented at a council workshop, would move front-load pricing from a three-tier model to a per-yard approach with a $65-per-month minimum for a 2-cubic-yard container collected once per week and scale up for larger containers. For roll-off service, staff proposed a 14-day rental (down from 30 days), a flat delivery/pickup fee that includes up to 3 tons of waste, and a daily rental overage charge (proposed $22 per day) plus landfill gate rates for tonnage over three tons.

Why it matters: staff said commercial services are meant to be self-sustaining and that current discounts for larger-volume customers left the utility subsidizing higher-yardage accounts. Carrying those subsidies risks the fund’s reserve and could lead to larger adjustments later. Officials also framed landfill capacity as a long-term asset the city is trying to protect while balancing regional demand.

Council debate and council direction: council members asked for benchmarking against private haulers, clarifications about how tipping fees and landfill costs are built into the proposals, and whether apartment complexes are treated as commercial accounts (staff said it depends on legal and operational definitions). After discussion, the council checked for consensus: members expressed support for updating the roll-off structure (shorter rental, flat fee including 3 tons and landfill overage billing) and a multi-year planning approach. A separate consensus check on implementing the new front-load structure and a near-term 5% increase drew at least one dissenting response, so staff will return the item as a formal voting item after required public advertisement and additional analysis.

Next steps: staff said state law requires a two-month advertisement period for rate changes affecting commercial customers. The city will confirm timing with the attorney’s office and bring formal rate ordinances or adjustments to a future voting meeting in early 2026.

Attribution: the presentation and figures summarized here were given by Michelle Wittenkel and Michael Carr during the Dec. 9 Glendale City Council workshop. Council members who spoke during the discussion included the mayor, Vice Mayor Tomlachoff, Council member Conchas and others.

Ending: staff recommended implementing a simplified rate now, applying a 5% increase in January 2027, and returning with a longer-term five-year rate plan after a one- to two-year evaluation; council asked for additional benchmarking and line-item breakdowns (including tipping fees and per-ton landfill costs) before a formal vote.