City of Glendale Institutes Solid Waste Franchise System

At the July 27th Glendale City Council meeting, the Council adopted an ordinance establishing an exclusive waste hauling and removal franchise program and approved the related contracts with the four waste haulers. The new franchise structure divides the city into four zones with each waste hauler given exclusive service collection within one of the four designated zones. The new franchise program will apply to commercial and multifamily residential properties that have five or more units. The City will continue to provide waste removal services to residential and residential multifamily properties with four or fewer units.

During the City Council discussions, several Council Members posed questions to staff relative to rate increases, customer service issues and how complaints would be handled under the new program. Staff indicated that regardless of whether the City established a franchise structure or not, rates would increase due to a number of factors including increase costs related to State recycling mandates. Staff also spoke to the contract provisions and mechanisms in place should service issues arise and the monitoring and monthly meetings that the City’s Public Works staff will have with the waste haulers.

The Association is not supportive of this monopolistic franchise scheme and previously urged the City Council to provide customers with the option to select from a minimum of two of the four companies in order to preserve competition. While the Council approved the four-exclusive zone program, the contract provisions include safeguards to facilitate service standards and equitable rates.

We have and will continue to engage with the City’s Public Works staff throughout the transition and implementation period to facilitate education and outreach and to discuss any issues identified.