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RIVERSIDE SUPERVISORS APPROVE TRASH FEE INCREASE FOR UNINCORPORATED AREAS
On May 10, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved an increase in trash collection fees for the unincorporated communities by a 4-1 vote. The waste haulers currently contracting with the County: Burrtec Waste, CR&R Inc., Desert Valley Disposal and Waste Management Inc., requested the across-the-board fee increase to compensate for cost increases in providing service and to adhere to the state’s recycling laws.
The increase will affect communities such as Bermuda Dunes, Cabazon, Desert Center, East Hemet, French Valley, Lakeland Village, Nuevo, Thermal, Thousand Palms and Winchester.
The haulers say the fee increase is necessary due to rising inflation and operating costs and meet state requirements on methane gas (SB 1383). Federal data showed consumer prices rose 8.6% in the Riverside County region between January 2021 and January 2022. SB 1383, which went into effect on January 1, requires local governments and waste haulers implement programs to recycle more food and other organic waste, limit/prevent the escape of methane gas and divert up to 75% of organic waste from landfills by 2025.
Monthly trash service for residential customers will increase 8%. Burrtec Waste’s rate will increase from average $26.60 to $28.07. CR&R residential service will increase between $27.37 and $39.34/month, to between $29.64 and $42.65/month. Desert Valley Disposal customers see their fees increase from $27.49 to $29.52, and Waste Management’s rate will increase from between $23.36 and $26.16/month, to between $25.37 and $28.41/month. The fee increase takes effect July 1, 2022.
CATHEDRAL CITY’S NEW HOUSING ELEMENT WILL ADD 2,500 HOMES OVER NEXT EIGHT YEARS
In late May, the Cathedral City Council approved a new housing element as part of a state’s Regional Housing Need Assessment (RHNA), sixth housing cycle, 2021- 2029. The RHNA process determines how many new residential units all cities and counties must plan for to meet their present and future population growth. Each city and county must determine where the new units could be built to the appropriate income level.
During the previous housing cycles, Cathedral City was responsible for planning for 600 new units for the 5th cycle and 3,329 new units for the 4th cycle.
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The city will be responsible for planning for 2,549 new units by 2029. In addition, the city is responsible for building a certain number of new units for low-, lower-, and moderate-income households. The city’s housing element has determined 15 potential sites to accommodate those new units.
The city’s housing element must be submitted to CA’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review. If Cathedral City’s housing element is approved as is, then the city may move forward with its plans to plan and build housing on those identified sites.
ENCINITAS GREEN BUILDING ORDINANCE IS NOW IN EFFECT
In October 2021, the Encinitas City Council adopted a Green Building Ordinance. The ordinance applies to new residential and non-residential buildings, such as commercial, hotels, multi-family taller than 3 stories, that meet the ordinance and that need to apply for a building permit.
The ordinance requires electricity be the only source of power for powering appliances, heating and air-conditioning for most new residential and non- residential buildings; natural gas systems are no longer allowed in new construction or substantial remodels. Residential additions and alterations with a permit value of $50,000 or more must install certain energy efficiency upgrades. Existing non-residential buildings adding 1,000 square feet or having a permit value of $200,000ormoremustinstallcertainenergyefficiency updates. All new non-residential and existing non- residential additions that increase the total roof area by at least 1,000 square feet or alterations with a permit value of at least $1,000,000 that affect at least 75% of the gross floor area are required to install solar photovoltaic equipment to power the building.
Encinitas submitted its ordinance to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for approval earlier this year. CEC approved the ordinance on May 24 and granted the city permission to implement its ordinance.
Members can visit Encinitas’ Green Building Ordinance webpage for more information,
https://encinitasca.gov/Government/Departments/ City-Manager/Environmental-Services/Climate- Action-Plan/Green-Building-Ordinances, or email the city’s Sustainability Manager at cnajera@encinitasca. gov.