Earlier editions: 2026-09
Imperial County Municipal Code Ch. 8.72 Solid Waste Management
Imperial County Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Imperial County
Cite as: Imperial County Municipal Code Chapter 8.72 · Text as of 2026-10-04
8.72.010 - Authority.¶
The director of the department of public works is charged with the responsibility for the formulation, implementation and administration of a county-wide solid waste management program.
(Prior code § 57100)
8.72.020 - Definitions.¶
As used in this chapter:
"Director" means the director of the department of public works.
"Industrial wastes" means wastes produced by the industries classified under Division D of the Standard Industrial Classification System which are liquid and/or water soluble.
"Pesticide" means economic poison as defined in Section 12753 of the State Agricultural Code.
"Pesticide container" means any drum, barrel, container, can, bottle, sack, or other receptacle in which a pesticide has been sold, distributed or stored.
"Solid waste" means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid and semisolid waste, including garbage, trash, refuse, paper, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, demolition, and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles and parts thereof, discarded home and industrial appliances, manure, vegetable or animal solid and semisolid wastes, and other discarded solid and semisolid wastes.
"Solid waste disposal" means the final disposition of solid wastes onto land, into the atmosphere or into the waters of the state.
"Solid waste handling" means the collection, transportation, storage, transfer or processing of solid wastes.
"Toxic ash" means the residue from a combustion process that is soluble or suspensible in water.
(Prior code § 57101)
8.72.030 - Authority.¶
The director is charged with the responsibility for the formulation, implantation and administration of a county solid waste disposal program.
(Prior code § 57200)
8.72.040 - County solid waste disposal program.¶
The director shall operate disposal facilities at various locations within the county. The director shall prepare and present to the board of supervisors for approval rules and regulations pertaining to the operation of the facilities and any other matter pertaining to the solid waste disposal.
(Prior code § 57201)
8.72.050 - Permits required.¶
A. Any person, firm, or corporation utilizing a county solid waste disposal facility shall possess a current permit issued by the director, unless such permit is expressly exempted by regulations proposed by the director and approved by the board of supervisors.
B. Permits issued pursuant to Section 8.72.050.A. for residential waste disposal may be issued to an agent of a resident who is exempt from gate fees, provided that the following conditions are met:
The agent has volunteered to dispose of the waste on behalf of the resident because of the physical limitations of the resident.
No monetary or in-lieu benefit is given to the agent for disposing of the waste by the resident or any other person.
The agent may only receive permits to dispose of waste for a maximum of five residential addresses per year.
The director of the Imperial County Department of Public Works has discretion to consider extraordinary circumstances on a case-by-case basis when issuing a permit pursuant to this section.
(Prior code § 57202; Ord. No. 1473, § 1, 10-4-11)
8.72.060 - Gate fees.¶
Solid waste permits will be issued and applicants will be charged by per load basis for the disposal of the type of refuse as listed below:
A. General Fees (Vehicles not Covered by Joint Powers Agreements).
| 1. Mechanical packers and all compacted roll-off (drag-on boxes) will be charged at the following rates: | |
|---|---|
| 14 yards or less | $155.00 |
| 15—19 yards | $198.00 |
| 20—24 yards | $250.00 |
| 25—29 yards | $275.00 |
| 30—34 yards | $343.00 |
| 35—39 yards | $362.00 |
| 2. Open-top uncompacted roll-off (drag on boxes) will be charged at the following rates: | |
| Non-compact | |
| Less than 20 yards | $172.00 |
| 21—30 yards | $206.00 |
| 31—40 yards | $224.00 |
| 41—50 yards | $257.00 |
| 3. Other Vehicles. | |
| a. Any truck or tractor and trailer with five or more axles: | $300.00 |
| b. Any truck or tractor and trailer with three or four axles: | $257.00 |
| c. Medium truck with two axles maximum, i.e., larger than one ton: | $102.00 |
| d. Medium truck, i.e., flatbed or truck one ton maximum: | $ 45.00 |
| e. Trailers over twenty (20) feet in length: | $102.00 |
| f. Pickup truck, one ton or less, or single/ |
$ 13.00 |
| g. Commercial/ |
|
| i. Per load | $25.00 |
| ii. Annual Permit (Calendar year), maximum two loads per week | $240.00 |
| iii. RV and Mobile Home Park Permit, allows one hundred (100) loads per year | $240.00 |
B. Special Fees (as Long as Permitted by Regulations).
| 1. Any vehicle containing a load consisting of the following materials shall be charged a hereinafter described in lieu of the load fees previously listed: | |
|---|---|
| a. Vehicles containing a mixture of blacktop, concrete or dirt; | 50% of the load fee listed in subsection A of this section. |
| b. Vehicle containing clean, empty pesticide containers, triple-rinsed and rendered unusable (flattened and punctured): | |
| Charge per container: | |
| Up to 24 gallons | $ 1.00 |
| 25 to 49 gallons | $ 8.00 |
| 50 gallons and over | $16.50 |
| Exception: Containers that have been pelletized will not be charged a per container fee. | |
| c. Vehicles containing bulky or hard to handle wastes from residential or commercial source, i.e., demolition waste, or other materials requiring special handling, etc.: | |
| i. Pickup truck, up to 3/4 ton or single axle trailer, 8-foot bed length maximum: | $ 45.00 |
| ii. Medium truck and/ |
$198.00 |
| iii. Any truck or tractor and trailer with: | |
| (A) Three axles | $246.00 |
| (B) Four axles | $430.00 |
| (C) Five axles | $521.00 |
| iv. Small dead animals—(excluding domestic pets) pickup truck, 3/4 ton or less or single axle trailer, 8-foot bed length maximum: | |
| (A) Dog, cats, etc. up to 10 per load | $ 43.00 |
| (B) Sheep—up to 15 per load | $ 87.00 |
| (C) Additional charge per animal: | |
| Dogs, cats, etc. | $ 1.65 |
| Sheep | $ 3.50 |
| v. Loads consisting of twine, wire or cables, shall be double the fee as specified in a, b, c above: | Variable |
| d. Acceptable commercial and residential waste from area not covered by or under Sections 8.72.080 and 8.72.090 : | |
| i. Annual permit (calendar year): | $231.00 |
| ii. Load fee—double the amount specified in this fee schedule: | Variable |
| iii. Load fee—triple the amount specified in this fee schedule for U.S. based companies in Mexico | Variable |
| e. Tires. | |
| i. A standard car and truck tires up to and including 16.5″ inside tire diameter per tire: | $ 2.35 |
| ii. Inside tire diameter 17″ to 24.5″ (highway/ |
$ 7.00 |
| iii. Inside tire diameter in excess of 24.5″ (industrial/ |
$128.00 |
| Exception: Tires shredded to a maximum of six inch particle size will not be assessed under the tire fee schedule. Fee will be assessed under the special fee schedule hard to handle: | Variable |
| f. White Goods. A per item charge will be assessed for the disposal of any white goods as defined by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, i.e., water heaters, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, etc. | $ 13.00 |
| g. Vehicle being modified (by adding sideboards to vehicle to haul more waste will be charged as follows: | |
| i. Pickup truck up to 3/4 ton or single axle trailer, 8 ft bed length maximum | $ 26.00 |
| ii. Medium truck and/ |
$ 102.00 |
| 2. Unattended or After-Hour Supplemental Fee. | |
| a. Minimum charge: forty-eight (48) hour advance notice required for this service: | $174.00 |
| b. Loads received during unattended hours or after-hours will require a supplemental, per hour fee beyond three hours | $58.00 |
C. Definitions.
In order to achieve uniformity in assessing fees, the following vehicles will fall into the three-quarter ton pickup with eight-foot bed length maximum categories and will be billed according to the fee schedule: Jeeps, Bronco II's, Scouts, Blazers S-10's, small Land Cruisers, Samurai, Raiders, Monteros, 4-Runners, Cherokees, Pathfinders, and the Jimmy S-15's. Vans, Travel-alls, Suburbans, Volkswagen Buses, Campers, Minivans (including the Astro, Aerostar, Safari, Voyager, Caravan, Toyota Cargovan, Mitsubishi Van), Blazers, Jimmys, Broncos, Izusu Troopers, Wagoneers, and full-size Land Cruisers.
Demolition Material. Any load containing twenty-five percent (25%) or more of bulky and dense materials similar to the following: masonry, metal, plumbing fixtures and pipe; electrical fixtures, materials used in the construction or razing of structures (including fences, patios, storage sheds, or decking), will be classified as demolition waste and shall be assessed special handling fees.
D. Billing Procedure.
Department of public works shall submit monthly billing to permittee/users which shall be payable within thirty (30) days of the billing date. If full payment is not received by next billing cycle, the account shall be deemed delinquent and shall be subject to a late penalty charge of five dollars ($5.00).
A past due account of sixty (60) days will be turned over to a collection agency.
(Ord. 1356, § 1 (part), 2002: Ord. 1296 § 1 (part), 1999: prior code § 57203)
8.72.070 - Exception from fees.¶
A. Vehicles containing residential, non-commercial waste from areas covered pursuant to Sections 8.72.080 or 8.72.090 such as; pickup trucks one ton or less, or single/double axle trailers, twenty (20) foot bed length maximum;
B. Vehicles or parties agreements as stated in Section 8.72.090, including their subcontractors utilizing the solid waste disposal facility in performance of their duties under their contract;
C. Vehicles owned or operated by or under contract to public or nonprofit agencies which provide land for any county solid waste site and/or provide free collection services for residents within their jurisdictional boundaries.
(Ord. 1356, § 1 (part), 2002: Ord. 1296 § 1 (part), 1999: prior code § 57204)
8.72.080 - Land use fees.¶
The board of supervisors has established land use designations for the purpose of determining applicable fees to be charged to defray the cost of acquisition, operation, and maintenance of county solid waste disposal sites. Pursuant to Section 25830 of the Government Code of the state of California, the director shall impose on each parcel of land in the county of Imperial land use fees as herein authorized. The land use fee will not be imposed on parcels of land within a special district when the district enters into a separate agreement with the county to pay a per capita fee within the district boundary. The amount of such fees shall be determined as follows:
A. The multiplier applicable to the land use designation of a given parcel, as hereafter set forth, shall be applied to the basic fee of seventy-eight dollars ($78.00) per unit for each single family dwelling with full-time occupancy.
B. The application of "multipliers" to the basic fee shall be accomplished by the public works department in coordination with the county assessor and data processing offices. Any designation of the land use for a given parcel, made for purposes of this chapter may be amended by resolution of the board of supervisors.
C. Property owners shall be billed and collections made by the county tax collector as part of the regular county secured tax roll billing system, except as hereinafter provided. Persons leasing or maintaining interests on parcels from which solid waste is generated, but for which the applicable land use fees are not billed on the regular county secured assessment roll, shall be billed and funds collected annually by the county tax collector as part of the unsecured roll billing system.
The multipliers referred to in this section shall be as follows:
| 1. Residential: | |
|---|---|
| a. Residential | $1.00 |
| b. Duplex—residence | 2.00 |
| c. Mobilehome | 1.00 |
| d. Apartment—per unit | .75 |
| e. Mobilehome park—per space | .50 |
| f. RV park—per space | .25 |
| g. Motel/ |
.25 |
| h. Vacation residences—mobilehome | .50 |
| i. Church | .50 |
| j. Vacant land | $0.00 |
| 2. Farm: | |
| a. Open farm land | 0.00 |
| b. Feed lots | 1.00 |
| c. Farm operating headquarters large—over 2,000 acres: | 4.00 |
| d. Farm operating headquarters medium—over 160 acres: | 2.00 |
| e. Farm operating headquarters small: | 1.00 |
| f. Packing sheds—large | 4.00 |
| g. Farm services business, i.e., rendering works, seed firms, chemical sales and application firms, coolers, slaughter house, cotton compress, alfalfa dehydrators: | 3.00 |
| 3. Industry: | |
| a. Large industry, i.e., plaster board manufacturing, sugar refining plants, etc.: | 10.00 |
| b. Other industry—geothermal exploratory wells: | 0.00 |
| 4. Business: | |
| a. Large business, i.e., large grocery, farm equipment, heavy equipment contractors general building contractors, roofing contractors, cement contractors, swimming pool contractors: | 4.00 |
| b. Business other than designated: | 2.00 |
| c. Professional office business: | 1.00 |
| d. Community centers, lodge hall, and golf courses: | 1.00 |
(Prior code § 57205)
8.72.090 - Fees under county-cities agreement.¶
Where a public entity, as defined in Section 6500 of the Government Code of the state of California, has entered into a joint powers agreement with the county pursuant to Article 1, Chapter 5, Division 7, of the Government Code of the State of California for the use of county-owned or operated solid waste disposal facilities, the use of and fees for such use shall be governed by provisions of the agreement. Pursuant to the joint powers agreement, per capita charges related to the per unit charges established under Section 8.72.080 of this chapter shall be negotiated on an annual basis, considering funding and costs projects, and shall be collected thereafter pursuant to the provisions of the agreement.
(Prior code § 57206)
8.72.100 - Pesticides, industrial wastes, toxic ashes and pesticides containers.¶
A. The disposal or dumping of pesticides, industrial wastes, or toxic ash, except as authorized by statute, regulations, ordinance or other law, is prohibited within the county.
B. Pesticide containers may be dumped only at county disposal facilities in accordance with rules and regulations prepared by the director.
(Prior code § 57301)
8.72.110 - Designation of enforcement agency.¶
The county health department, environmental health division, is designated as the local enforcement agency, in accordance with Section 43202 et seq. of the Public Resources Code, and is responsible for, among other things, issuance and administration of permits for solid waste facilities.
(Ord. 1341 § 31, 2001: prior code § 57400)
(Ord. No. 1589, § III, 12-19-23)
8.72.120 - Fees.¶
Fees shall be charged to operators of solid waste facilities or other persons conducting solid waste handling, in accordance with Section 43213 of the Public Resources Code, as established by resolution or ordinance adopted by the board of supervisors.
(Ord. 1341 § 32, 2001: prior code § 57401)
8.72.130 - Private operator as lessee.¶
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter 8.72, the limitation on gate fees in Section 8.72.060 shall not apply to gate fees charged by a private operator leasing a county solid waste facility from the county, insofar as those Gate Fees are imposed on out-of-county waste or in-county waste where the generator is not a resident owning or renting property within an area that is subject to the land use fees described in Section 8.72.080.
(Ord. No. 1441, § 1, 11-25-08)
8.72.140 - Prohibition of commercial waste-haulers and private self-haulers from using…¶
A. It shall be unlawful for commercial waste-haulers and private self-haulers to drive, use, arrive or depart, at any time on the following unpaved roads leading to landfill located at 104 East Robinson Road, Imperial, California:
Robinson Road (County Road 28) from Trentham Road (County Road EA) to Old Highway 111.
Neckel Road (County Road 29) from Dogwood Road (County Road DW) going east .85 mile.
Trentham Road (County Road EA) from Worthington Road (County Road A27) to Robinson Road (County Road 28).
B. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) for a first violation, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) for a second violation within one year, and not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for each additional violation within one year.
(Ord. No. 1484, § 1, 9-25-12)
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