Palo Alto Municipal Code Part 7 Trash Load Reductions

(a) Requirements for existing businesses. By July 1, 2025, private properties that generate moderate, high, or very high trash loads, as defined in city regulations, and that discharge into private storm drain inlets, shall be equipped with full trash capture systems or be managed with trash discharge control actions equivalent to or better than full trash capture systems. Property owners must install and maintain trash capture systems in compliance with city regulations and the requirements of the MRP. Property owners shall be responsible for documenting maintenance records per requirements of the city regulations. Maintenance records shall be made available to the Director upon request.

(b) Requirements for development projects. All development projects that have operable private storm drain inlets on their property that directly discharge to the city’s storm drain system, any creek, or the San Francisco Bay shall install and maintain full trash capture devices or systems in compliance with city regulations and requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board.

(c) Full trash capture device or system maintenance requirements. Full trash capture devices or systems shall be maintained by the property owner to ensure that they are operating appropriately and have sufficient operating capacity to capture trash consistent with the MRP and city regulations. The inspection and maintenance of each full capture device shall be at a frequency sufficient to prevent overflow or bypassing of trash and plugging or clogging of screen and device's trash reservoir. Full trash capture devices will be inspected by city staff to ensure compliance.

(d) The private property owner shall be responsible for documenting maintenance records per requirements of the city regulations. Maintenance records shall be made available to the Director upon request.

(Ord. 5671 § 2 (part), 2025)