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Published on 03/02/1998 All articles from this issue

Los Altos Hills extends garbage company contract

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By Carol Tiegs / Town Crier Staff Writer

Effective April 1, Los Altos Hills residents can expect biweekly collection of yard waste at their homes. That is one of the terms of a five-year extension of the franchise agreement with the Los Altos Garbage Company approved by the town council March 4.

The agreement continues residential garbage rates at their current level through the rate year beginning April 1. Yearly compensation increases or decreases to the garbage company will be at a rate equal to .8 percent of the Consumer Price Index.

The agreement also signals the closing of the Purissima Road yard waste drop-off center, a provision sharply protested by residents with large pieces of property covered in trees and brush. Residents with dying Monterey pines and other large trees on their property also expressed concern, both on March 4 and at public hearings last September, that the proposed yard waste collection program wouldn't meet their needs.

City Manager Jeff Peterson said March 4 that the Los Altos Hills Fire District had agreed to contract with the town and the garbage company to expand their once-a-month Saturday yard waste drop-off program to 20 times per year. When combined with the town's three annual cleanup days, there would be two yard waste drop-off days per month, he said. The town and the garbage company estimate that the combination of a home yard waste collection and drop-off days will be adequate to meet all residents' needs.

Peterson said the Purissima Road drop-off center was only established as a temporary solution to meet state mandates set for municipalities to reduce landfill until a better program could be developed. He said the Public Works Department needs the addition space in what is also the town's corporation yard for storing equipment and emergency supplies. The staff also has concerns about the environment and traffic safety at the site.

Councilman Bob Johnson said his research into garbage company records shows that 30.4 percent of Los Altos Hills residents use the Purissima Road drop-off center.

Responding to residents' concerns at last September's hearings about the size of containers available for yard waste pick-up, the garbage company modified its original proposal to offer 96-gallon wheeled containers. Residents may purchase as many containers as they wish.

Up to 180 gallons, or two containers, of yard waste will be picked up biweekly from each home under the agreement's base rate.

Additional yard waste may be collected from back yards for an added fee.

The franchise agreement with Los Altos Garbage Company also provides for the addition of mixed paper, No. 2 plastics and cardboard to the recyclable items collected at each residence, and provides for consistent delivery of compost to the town for residents' use.

The council approved the contract extension 4-1 with Councilman Bob Johnson dissenting. Council also directed Peterson to actively pursue a contract with the Zanker Road collection site in San Jose to allow town residents to take oversized yard waste and tree limbs there with the town paying a portion of the cost.

Residents at the March 4 council meeting endorsed this measure.

Councilman Bill Siegel told residents March 4 that "the town is not accepting responsibility to take care of trees."

The franchise agreement includes a provision for revising the yard waste pick-up program should it prove unsuccessful. Mayor Toni Casey emphasized this "safety valve" in voting for the contract extension. She also stressed the need to meet state legislative requirements for landfill reduction.

Also by a 4-1 vote, the council approved the town entering into a one-year, three-way agreement with the fire district and the garbage company for a biweekly Saturday yard waste drop-off collection program.

In response to residents' suggestions, the staff will see if drop-off times could be set later in the day than the 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. hours currently in effect.