Elyria committees back sanitation rule changes that set 3.5-cubic-yard bulk pickup limit

Elyria officials voted July 13 to amend Chapter 959 of the Elyria Codified Ordinances to update sanitation rules and codify a per-pickup bulk allowance of 3.5 cubic yards and an excess-bulk fee.

"What we're proposing is that, basically, with each pickup, a customer would be entitled to a 3.5 cubic yard, bulk pickup, which is the size of the back of our current truck," Director Pajanoski told the committee. He said the change reflects the actual basin size on collection trucks and removes ambiguity about how staff assess bulk amounts.

Pajanoski described the change as a codification of current practice and said staff would charge for excess bulk to recoup landfill and collection costs. "I think it's $13.55 for excess bulk," he said.

Council members strongly supported the measure as a way to create predictable charges and shore up the sanitation fund. A council member asked whether revenues would go to the sanitation fund and whether that could help wages; staff said all collections would be deposited to the sanitation fund and could be budgeted to cover multiple categories, including wages.

The committees approved drawing an ordinance to adopt the amendments and forwarded the change to full council.