Garbage Disposal District (GDD) Update

Alhambra – October 12, 2021 - The formation process continues as Los Angeles County Public Works gathers data from community outreach meetings, emails, recurring questions and complaints about lack of service coupled with the growing illegal dumping crisis. GDDs are the best structure to combat illegal dumping by ensuring every property owner, including owners of vacant parcels, contribute to funding for programs to collect and prevent illegal dumping.

Gathering data is complex and long term building as the GDD team builds a database. Once the data is in presentation form, all real property owners will be notified of a proposed fee increase on their property tax bills, which will be used to pay the waste hauler rather than residents and commercial businesses contracting directly with the waste hauler. This fee notification conforms with Proposition 218. If a majority of property owners do not oppose the fee increase, the proposition will be placed on the General Ballot in November 2022 for the yes or no vote. Assuming the proposition passes, it will then be presented in 2023-2024 on the property tax rolls.

There are three bills driving the GDD proposal:

1. AB 341 from 2011 requires businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of solid waste per week and multi-family complexes of 5 or more units to have recycling services as well as the periodic trash collection services.

2. AB1826 from 2014 requires business and multifamily complexes with 5 or more units to arrange for organic waste collection

3. SB1383 from 2016 is much broader and more encompassing. It requires all generators of organic waste to agree to organic waste collection.

As such, the County requires all waste haulers to meet state law requirements. To read the text of the state bills, search by bill number on the internet.

At community outreach meetings, the public will learn how every property participates in a GDD system and how every occupied property will receive basic service and what is included. In this discussion additional and proposed services will be outlined.

The GDD system will be explained including an overview of service levels according to land use type and how fees will be paid as part of property tax. Current rates for basic monthly service in Acton/Agua Dulce and the Antelope Valley cannot be determined at this time. However, the County will share/compare current GDD and residential franchise rates from other unincorporated cities in Los Angeles County.

The community engagement period will be followed by the formation of GDDs, the invitation for bids will be released followed by contract awards (which is a very lengthy process) and then the hauler(s) will set up for service and service will start.

By Shirley Harriman