Merced Municipal Code Ch. 8.06 Recycling

Cities and counties must divert 50 percent of all solid waste by January 1, 2000, through source reduction, recycling, and composting activities.

Diverting 50 percent of all solid waste requires the participation of the residential, commercial, industrial, and public sectors.

The lack of adequate areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials that are compatible with surrounding land uses is a significant impediment to diverting solid waste and constitutes an urgent need for state and local agencies to address access to solid waste for source reduction, recycling, and composting activities. This ordinance has been developed to meet that need.

(Ord. 1854 § 1 (part), 1993).

The following definitions shall apply to the language contained in this chapter.

A. Development project - Means any of the following:

1. A project for which building permit is required for a commercial, industrial, or institutional building, marina, or residential building having five or more living units, where solid waste is collected and loaded and any residential project where solid waste is collected and loaded in a location serving five(5) or more living units.

2. Any new public facility where solid waste is collected and loaded and any improvements for areas of a public facility used for collecting and loading solid waste.

B. Recycling area (area for recycling) - Space allocated for collecting and loading of recyclable materials.

C. Project for which a building permit is required - A project for which a building permit is required is, at a minimum:

1. all new projects, and

2. any single alteration of an existing project requiring a building permit, and

3. any sum total of alterations requiring a building permit to an existing project conducted within a twelve month period.

(Ord. 1854 § 1 (part), 1993).

Any new development project for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after September 1, 1994, shall include adequate, accessible, and convenient areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials.

Any improvements for areas of a public facility used for collecting and loading solid waste shall include adequate, accessible and convenient areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials.

Any project for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after September 1, 1994 for modifications that meet one or both of the conditions below shall include adequate, accessible and convenient areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials:

A. Modification to the project adds 30 percent or more to the existing floor area, or

B. The price of modification exceeds value of the subject parcel.

(Ord. 1854 § 1 (part, 1993).

Areas for recycling shall be adequate in capacity, number, and distribution to serve the development where the project occurs.

Dimensions of the recycling area shall accommodate containers consistent with current methods of collection in the area in which the project is to be located.

An adequate number of bins or containers to allow for the collection and loading of recyclable materials generated by the development should be located within the recycling areas of development projects.

The design and construction of recycling areas shall be compatible with surrounding land uses.

Recycling areas shall be secured to prevent the theft of recyclable materials by unauthorized persons, while allowing authorized persons access for disposal materials.

Recycling areas or the bins or containers placed therein must provide protection against adverse environmental conditions which might render the collected materials unmarketable.

Driveways or travel aisles shall provide unobstructed access for collection vehicles and personnel and provide at least the minimum clearance required by the collection methods and vehicles utilized by the hauler in the area in which the development project exists.

A sign clearly identifying all recycling and solid waste collection and loading areas and the materials accepted therein shall be posted adjacent to all points of access to the recycling areas.

Residential developers and property owners are encouraged to include recycling areas or systems within the residence; such as roll-out drawers below the sink for recycling receptacles; fireproof, cleanable, secure chutes from the living space to the space for collecting and loading recyclable materials, etc. Recommended internal storage space for individual living units of residential development projects is three (3) cubic feet.

(Ord. 1854 § 1 (part), 1993).

Recycling areas shall not be located in any area required by the Municipal Code to be constructed or maintained as unencumbered, according to fire and other applicable building and/or public safety laws.

Each recycling area within a multi-family residential development should be no greater than 250 feet from each living unit.

(Ord. 1854 § 1 (part), 1993).

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a development project located in an area served by a recycling system based upon the collection of commingled solid waste and recyclable materials may fulfill the requirements of this chapter by providing adequate, accessible, and convenient areas for collecting and loading commingled solid waste recyclable materials.

(Ord. 1854 § 1 (part), 1993).