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CC RES 2022-015 RESOLUTION NO. 2022-15 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE A RESIDENTIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES RATE ADJUSTMENT ATTENDANT TO THE PASSAGE OF SENATE BILL 1383 WHEREAS, The City of Rancho Palos Verdes ("City") entered into an exclusive agreement franchise agreement with EDCO Disposal Corporation ("EDCO") for Residential Solid Waste Management Services on or about November 24, 2009, which was thereafter amended on June 30, 2015 (the "Agreement"); and WHEREAS, the term of the Agreement was set to expire on June 30, 2020, but the Agreement also included an option for seven (7) one-year extensions, which could extend the Term until June 30, 2027; and WHEREAS, Exhibit 4 of the Agreement establishes initial maximum rates for July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011 ("Maximum Rates"); and WHEREAS, The State of California recently adopted a number of bills mandating a comprehensive update to waste management and recycling systems, particularly with respect to the diversion of organic materials and food waste away from landfills. AB 341 mandates that commercial waste generators arrange for recycling services. AB 1826 mandates that commercial waste generators recycle their organic waste. AB 1594 will end the practice of excluding organic material used as Alternative Daily Cover ("ADC") from the calculation of a jurisdiction's total per capita amount of waste disposed; and WHEREAS, most significantly, SB 1383 directs public agencies to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% and increase edible food recovery by 20% by 2025. SB 1383 is the most significant waste reduction mandate adopted in California in the last 30 years. SB 1383's regulations apply to all persons and entities that generate organic materials, such as food scraps and plant trimmings. All waste generators are required to divert their organic materials from the garbage. SB 1383 allows the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery ("CalRecycle") to implement new regulations on local jurisdictions if significant progress has not been made in the law's waste reduction goals; and WHEREAS, SB 1383 requires EDCO and other waste haulers to comply with mandatory processing of food waste to be collected in residential green waste carts and implement new measures to reduce contamination, educate waste generators, procure recycled products with organic content, track and report recycling participation, and assist local jurisdictions with enforcement of new recycling requirements. EDCO will need to implement modifications to their service routes, purchase additional disposal containers and container labels, and otherwise provide customers with additional refuse and recycling services; and WHEREAS, the above-referenced changes in law and State mandates present substantial additional operational and programmatic changes in local waste hauling services to meet new waste reduction goals, which requires EDCO to implement several comprehensive changes to their refuse and recycling services in order to comply with State regulations. To this end, EDCO can only continue to provide its residential refuse and recycling services as mandated by the State if it can secure a rate adjustment and new Agreement terms; and WHEREAS, Article XIII D of the California Constitution ("Proposition 218") establishes required procedures for increasing property related fees, including (i) mailing a written notice of the proposed fee increase ("Notice") to each parcel on which the fee will be imposed ("Identified Parcels"), and (ii) conducting a public hearing on the proposed fee increase not less than forty-five (45) days after mailing the notice (the "Protest Hearing"); and WHEREAS, Proposition 218 requires the City Council to consider all protests against the proposed rate increase, and establishes that if written protests against the proposed rate increase are presented by a majority of owners of the Identified Parcels, the City Council shall not approve the rate increase; and WHEREAS, protests exceeding 7,000 would constitute a majority of owners of Identified Parcels (a "Majority Protest"); and WHEREAS, Proposition 218 and Government Code section 53756 allow the City Council to adopt a schedule of rate adjustments, including a formula for adjusting the rates, for a period not to exceed five years ("Five-Year Adjustment Formula"); and WHEREAS, the adoption of the Five-Year Adjustment Formula by the City Council is subject to the same procedures as a rate increase; and WHEREAS, EDCO has requested a rate increase to meet the State of California's requirements pursuant to Senate Bill 1383; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes seeks to hold a fair and noticed public protest hearing as described in the Notice of Public Protest Hearing on March 15, 2022, to consider the proposed residential waste collection services rate structure with Five-Year Adjustment Formula to be applied pursuant to the requirements of Proposition 218, and WHEREAS, at said public hearing, all Identified Parcels are to be afforded the opportunity to protest the proposed new rate schedule. Protest against the rate structure shall be received and counted by the City Council. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The foregoing Recitals are hereby found to be true and correct and incorporated herein by this reference. 01203 0014/772183 2 Resolution No. 2022-15 Page 2 of 4 0 Section 2. The City Council hereby ratifies the Proposition 218 process and adopts the rates proposed by EDCO as set forth in the Notice of Public Protest Hearing mailed to all Identified Parcels EDCO serves on January 28, 2022, and pursuant to Proportion 218 finds as follows: a) Rates for Service Provided Only: Revenues derived from the rates may not be used for any purpose other than that for which the rate was imposed. The rates collected are used to pay EDCO for the refuse collection, recycling, new organics programs, and disposal services it provides to City customers serviced by EDCO pursuant to the passage of Senate Bill 1383 and other new State mandates identified in the Recitals hereto. This conclusion is further supported by all findings of fact presented at the City Council hearing, including without limitation those facts stated in the accompanying staff report, all of which evidence is incorporated herein by this reference. b) Rates not to Exceed Cost of Service: Revenues derived from the rates may not exceed the funds required to provide refuse service. The City's cost for refuse and recycling service is,established by the Agreement which permits EDCO to recover its actual costs. It is found that EDCO will accrue direct and unforeseen costs of service as a result of legal obligations pursuant to the passage of Senate Bill 1383 and other new State mandates necessitating EDCO's transition into providing City with additional solid waste, recycling and organics collection services and attendant fiscal impacts. This conclusion is further supported by all findings of fact presented at the City Council hearing, including without limitation those facts stated in the accompanying staff report, all of which evidence is incorporated herein by this, reference. c) Rates not to Exceed Proportional Cost: The amount of the rates may not exceed the proportional cost of the refuse service attributable to the parcel. EDCO proposes that the proposed refuse rates are reasonably proportional and cost-based, and meet the general requirements of fairness and equity under Proposition 218. In the course of analyzing the rates attendant to this resolution, the City retained the services of an independent auditor/consultant for purposes of reviewing and verifying the rate structure proposed by EDCO, which independent audit supports the rate structure. This conclusion is further supported by all findings of fact presented at the City Council hearing, including without limitation those facts stated in the accompanying staff report, all of which evidence is incorporated herein by this reference. Section 3. The Council has fully considered this matter and has: a) Reviewed the information submitted herewith regarding the proposed solid waste service rate adjustment for accounts serviced by EDCO, the parcels to which the proposed rate adjustment would apply, and the reasons and basis for the adjustment and the rates; 01203 0014/772183 2 Resolution No. 2022-15 Page 3 of 4 b) Provided notice of the proposed rate adjustment to the Identified Parcels to which the proposed adjustment would apply in accordance with Article XIIID of the California Constitution; c) Heard and received all written protests from any Identified Parcels subject to the rates; d) Taken and received oral and documentary evidence pertaining to the proposed rate adjustment; and e) Been fully informed of this matter. Section 4. The Council finds that insufficient written protests were presented to prevent the rates proposed by EDCO from being imposed. Section 5. The Council finds that based on these facts and the circumstances and information received during the public hearing, the changes in rates proposed by EDCO are necessary and are hereby adopted, contingent upon there being no Majority Protest from a majority of all Identified Parcels under an omnibus protest by all those permitted to protest the proposed new rate system. (Morgan v. Imperial Irrigation District (2014) 223 Cal.App.4th 892.) Section 6. Said refuse rates shall take effect on April 1, 2022. Section 7. This Resolution shall become'effective immediately. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 15th day of March 2022. APP Mayor Attest: City Clerk STATEOF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss CITY'OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES ) I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the above Resolution No. 2022-15 was duly and regularly passed,,and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on March 15, 2022.. 4 • ity Clerk 01203 0014/772183 2 Resolution No. 2022-15 Page 4 of 4