Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/04/2010

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CASE # 1 Yard Waste Drop-Off Site By: Chris Anderson, Environmental Coordinator Background: As the Board knows, the City does not have a yard waste collection site available for Ramsey residents. The closest option for residents of Ramsey is the County-operated compost site located on Hanson Blvd in Coon Rapids, which for many is not very convenient. As such, a component of the 2010 City Council approved EPB Work Plan was to research the potential for a yard waste drop-off site (compost site) within the city and update/advise City Council accordingly. Observations: There are essentially two types of operations that some municipalities operate. One is a true compost site where yard waste material is not only collected but composted on site. The other is a yard waste collection site where yard waste materials are collected but not composted on site. Rather, the materials are either ground up into chips (woody debris) and/or hauled to a compost facility. Two municipal examples that can be looked at would be the City of Hutchinson, which operates a full compost site, and the City of Elk River, which operates a yard waste drop-off site. Staff is trying to obtain some background information regarding Hutchinson's program, but has ,not received anything yet as of the drafting of this case. Elk River's site is located adjacent to their Public Works campus, is open seven (7) days a week from dawn till dusk, and is unstaffed. Residents of Elk River can bring grass, leaves, and other herbaceous yard waste as well as tree branches and logs to drop off at this site. Additionally, residents can pick up unscreened wood chips (from the grinding activity) and compost when available. According to Elk River, the greatest expense of operating the site is hiring a contractor periodically to grind up the woody debris. They project this cost to be roughly $15,000 per year. The second most costly expense is due to illegal dumping of materials other than yard waste such as construction debris, household garbage and household hazardous waste..This cost is projected to be several thousand dollars annually. Elk River's site has, up until this year, been free for its residents to utilize. However, due to budget cuts both locally and by the state, Elk River has implemented a $10 annual permit fee for residents and a $100 annual permit fee for commercial operations to use the site. They .are hoping that this will help offset some of the operational expenses and allow the site to remain open for its residents.