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Rancho Santa Margarita approves 10‑year WISE waste agreement with County of Orange; per‑ton rates to rise
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Summary
The council authorized a 10‑year Waste Infrastructure System Enterprise (WISE) agreement that guarantees landfill access but raises per‑ton disposal rates, starting at $67/ton in FY2026–27 with scheduled escalators; council voted unanimously to authorize the city manager to execute the agreement.
The Rancho Santa Margarita City Council on March 11 authorized the city manager to execute a 10‑year Waste Infrastructure System Enterprise (WISE) agreement with the County of Orange that guarantees access to county landfill capacity but raises the per‑ton disposal rate for member cities.
City Manager Jennifer summarized the county-negotiated schedule and said the new rate for FY2026–27 is $67 per ton, up from the current $43.76 per ton. She said the published schedule includes $74 per ton in 2028–29 and $81 per ton in 2029–30 with future CPI adjustments. Jennifer told the council the per‑ton rate applies equally to every city that signs the agreement and the county will not negotiate separate per-city rates.
Councilmembers asked whether the increase is front-loaded or will accelerate; staff explained the early years’ rates are known and that the city retains some protections negotiated by the Orange County City Managers group (for example, in CPI calculation and organics routing exceptions for cities that operate separate organics systems). After discussion Mayor Beal moved and the council seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
What's next: The city will implement the agreement and monitor annual rate escalators; staff noted the alternative—declining to sign—could yield higher rates and uncertain landfill access on particular days.