LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. (KERO) — SB 1383 is Californian law that requires the separation of organic materials in trash hauling. Kern County revealed a plan to comply with SB 1383 that featured mandatory 3-bin trash collection. This plan came with a roughly 560 dollar increase on annual property taxes for residents living in census tract 52.05, which incorporates areas of Lake Isabella and Bodfish.
- On Wednesday October 9, Kern County Public Works had a meeting to discuss plans to comply with Sb1383 for the areas that successfully blocked mandatory hauling.
- The plan gives residents the option to self haul their trash, which is supposed to be separated into trash, organic waste and recycling. They also have the option to compost on their own property.
- Kern County Public works revealed they have gotten a grant that will allows residents in census tract 52.05 to receive a free compost bin. There is not currently a timeline for when those will be distributed.
- The new plan comes with no additional taxes or fees for residents.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“The original proposal by the county was going to be very expensive, it was going to be mandatory,” said Scott Toland, a community organizer who opposed the original three bin mandatory trash collection plan proposed by Kern County Public Works.
The original proposal from Kern County Public Works that would require residents in Census Tract 52.05 to separate their trash into three separate bins then have it hauled by a franchise trash hauler. To pay for this, residents would have a roughly 560 dollar annual fee added to their property taxes.
“And there were a lot of people that didn’t want it or couldn’t afford it,” Toland said.
The plan was put forth so Kern County would be in compliance with state law SB 1383, which requires the separation of organic material in trash so that it could be composted.
It was last December when 6 areas, including Lake Isabella, prevented the mandatory trash hauling to be implemented in their areas with successful Prop 218 protests.
Now, Kern County Public Works has put forth a new solution for these six areas - giving residents the option to self haul organic materials to a county-approved facility, or for them to compost it in their own backyard.
“We’re very pleased, because this is exactly what we were asking for from the get-go. Why they couldn’t offer it to us from the beginning, I have no idea.,” Toland said.
“We’re giving the people the option, they can self haul, they can take their items, all of their trash, all of their recycling, all of their green waste to the transfer station or they also have the option to have backyard compost. And a lot of people in this area that's what they’ve been doing for years,” Denise Saucedo said.
Denise Saucedo, a Manager at Kern County Works Public Works says public works incorporated the desires of residents in the new proposal.
The new plan comes with no added taxes or fees.
Mike Thomas, owner of Thomas Refuse, spoke at the meeting and said Thomas Refuse will offer 3-bin trash hauling to their customers if they want, but it will not be required. This means residents can pay Thomas to pick up their recycling bin and their organic waste bin.
Kern County Public works received a grant so any resident in the Census tract 52.05 has the opportunity to receive a free compost bin.
However, there is currently no timeline on distribution for those bins.
The self hauling and backyard composting plan will be the plan for the six areas that successfully protested.
However, there are still plans to implement a three bin collection system in NW Metro, Ridgecrest, Arvin, Delano, Shafter, Rosamond, Outer Taft, Outer Metro.
The three bin collection system in these areas will come with a yearly fee that will vary from area to area.
These areas will also be given time to organize a Prop 218 protest. To do this launch a successful protest, more than fifty percent of the impacted residents have to formally oppose the measure.
“Unfortunately, the other areas that did not protest for 218 successfully are not going to be included in this automatically and that’s frustrating but there’s still work to be done in the county, but as far as the KRV goes, we made it. We should celebrate,” Toland said.
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