8.
City Council Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 01/12/2016
- Co-Submitter:
- Nicole Woodman, Sustainability Manager/Interim Public Works Section Dir.
- From:
- Nicole Woodman, Sustainability Manager/Interim Public Works Section Dir.
- Department:
- Public Works
Co-Submitter:
TITLE:
Sustainability Commission and Plastic Bag Focus Group’s Recommendations Concerning Plastic Bags. (At the request of the City Council, the Sustainability Commission and Interim City Manager’s Plastic Bag Focus Group will provide an overview of recommendations for plastic bag management in Flagstaff as presented to City Council in 2015.)
DESIRED OUTCOME:
Informational update.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In March 2013, the Sustainability Commission voted to make a recommendation to City Council to ban plastic bags (5-2 vote) based on litter challenges in the community. The Commission’s intent was to protect, conserve and enhance Flagstaff’s natural beauty and reduce costly negative impacts of plastic bags. In March 2014, the Interim City Manager’s Plastic Bag Focus Group was established and in the same month developed a goal to reduce use of point of sale plastic bags and enhance civic pride. The group believes that all solutions to the problem should address: litter, behavior, cost associated with clean-up of plastic bags at the Material Recovery Facility and Cinderlake Landfill, and reducing the community’s environmental/ecological footprint. These recommendations were presented at the January 13, 2015 and September 8, 2015 City Council meetings.
As highlighted at the September 8, 2015 City Council meeting the State of Arizona Legislature passed Senate Bill 1241, which prohibits cities, towns and counties from charging a fee or banning the use of “auxiliary containers” such as plastic bags. The City is currently spending $0.25 per household on all recycling outreach. With high contamination rates and low resident and business participation in recycling, funding needs to be increased for outreach. The City pays Norton Environmental on average $225k for not meeting put or pay requirements. Increasing outreach will help lessen this pay out. An increase to $1.00 per resident was recommended to City Council by the Plastic Bag Focus Group. Staff is proposing a $68,500 increase in the FY17 budget process.
As highlighted at the September 8, 2015 City Council meeting the State of Arizona Legislature passed Senate Bill 1241, which prohibits cities, towns and counties from charging a fee or banning the use of “auxiliary containers” such as plastic bags. The City is currently spending $0.25 per household on all recycling outreach. With high contamination rates and low resident and business participation in recycling, funding needs to be increased for outreach. The City pays Norton Environmental on average $225k for not meeting put or pay requirements. Increasing outreach will help lessen this pay out. An increase to $1.00 per resident was recommended to City Council by the Plastic Bag Focus Group. Staff is proposing a $68,500 increase in the FY17 budget process.
INFORMATION:
COUNCIL GOALS:
Goal #7: Implementation of the Regional Plan.
REGIONAL PLAN:
E&C.6. Protect, restore and improve ecosystem health and maintain native plant and animal community diversity across all land ownerships in the Flagstaff region. E&C.10. Protect indigenous wildlife populations, localized and larger scale wildlife habitats, ecosystem processes, and wildlife movement areas throughout the planning area.
WR.5. Manage watersheds and strormwater to address flooding concerns, water quality, environmental protections, and rainwater harvesting.
Goal #7: Implementation of the Regional Plan.
REGIONAL PLAN:
E&C.6. Protect, restore and improve ecosystem health and maintain native plant and animal community diversity across all land ownerships in the Flagstaff region. E&C.10. Protect indigenous wildlife populations, localized and larger scale wildlife habitats, ecosystem processes, and wildlife movement areas throughout the planning area.
WR.5. Manage watersheds and strormwater to address flooding concerns, water quality, environmental protections, and rainwater harvesting.