SAN DIEGO — For the first time ever, the City of San Diego is working on a waste collection fee. The fee would apply to single-family homes and complexes with four or fewer units, which is about 285,000 properties.
Why now?
In 2022, San Diego voters passed Measure B, which changed the People's Ordinance. It allows the city to charge a cost-recovery fee for trash and recycling collection services to residential properties.
"What that did it was removed a prohibition on the city's ability to charge for tax trash and waste collection and it didn't create a fee," Jeremy Bauer, Assistant Director of the Environmental Services Department said. "But in response to that, the city is undertaking a study and engaging with the public to provide that opportunity for insights before the city makes decisions."
The City of San Diego's Environmental Services Department is sharing what the fee could look like as they seek community input on what services they'd like to see.
"For example, right now, recycling is every two weeks. Would they prefer to have it weekly? Would they prefer to have more options in the sizes of containers that they use each week?," Bauer said.
The city is hosting a number of open houses for the public to learn about waste collection and the proposed fee.
Recommendations from attendees of Monday's meeting included lower rates for senior citizens, new trash and recycle bins and more frequent bulky pick-ups.
"Our plan is to come back to city council in the fall to share what did we hear from these meetings," Bauer said. "What does the public like? What would they like to see? And then in early next year, we'll come back with the results of the cost of service study."
The earliest the city council would vote on the fee proposal is next June. Public input will help the city decide what changes to make and how much to charge residents as part of the proposal.
You can submit comments to the city online here.
Open houses
Future open houses from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- CD4 Tuesday, Aug. 6 Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library, 5148 Market St., 92114
- CD6 Monday, Aug. 12 Mira Mesa Library, 8405 New Salem St., 92126
- CD9 Tuesday, Aug. 13 Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway, 92108
- CD3 Monday, Aug. 19 Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library, 215 W. Washington St., 92103
- CD2 Monday, Aug. 26 Point Loma/Hervey Library, 3701 Voltaire St., 92107
- CD7 Tuesday, Aug. 27 Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Library, 9005 Aero Drive, 92123
- CD5 Tuesday, Sept. 3 Scripps Miramar Ranch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive, 92131
- CD1 Monday, Sept. 9 La Jolla/Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave., 92037
- Virtual meeting Saturday, Aug. 24, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
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