City seeks to curb ‘rampant’ illegal dumping in Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
In an effort to address illegal dumping across Citrus Heights, city staff during an Aug. 28 City Council meeting suggested a “progressive” approach to handle blight and associated issues with Neighborhood Cleanup services.

General Services Department Operations Manager Mary Poole presented FlashVote survey results during the meeting, which detailed feedback from residents regarding the Neighborhood Cleanup program. The program provides residential pickup of bulk waste piles three times per year.

Before the survey was issued in August, Poole said the city had received complaints over time regarding challenges associated with the Neighborhood Cleanup program, including issues with visible blight along streets, an increase in illegal dumping, scavenging, difficulty coordinating street sweeping schedules and construction projects around the bulk cleanup service, parking issues, and issues caused by inclement weather.

“Illegal dumping is rampant throughout the city,” Poole said, adding that having materials out for seven days at a time in zones where neighborhood cleanup services are occurring attracts other residents outside the service area to illegally dump “more and more” materials onto existing piles.

Related: Citrus Heights survey shows residents overwhelmingly support bulk waste pickup days

Poole called scavenging “a pro and a con,” saying that it can help recycle materials, and residents commented throughout the survey that they plan on putting materials out in anticipation of scavengers recycling items. Poole also said scavengers can be “messy” as they sift through piles, and often will drive through neighborhoods at all hours of the day looking for items.

During the presentation, Poole shared photos of illegal dumping, where others who were not part of the service area included more materials on existing piles, including a landscaper who was witnessed to be dumping illegally by a Republic Services route supervisor.

Poole said the city tends to have an increase in illegal dumping around the neighborhood cleanup schedule, and presented a map showing the locations of reported illegal dumping. The reports of illegal dumping appear to occur more often on the boundaries of the service area of the Neighborhood Cleanup program in June, July, and August, respectively.

In order to address complaints and issues, city staff recommended enforcing existing program guidelines and adding penalties for setting out piles early. Staff also want to include “extensive” educational outreach to the community at large.

Bret Daniels, who resigned from the council several days following the meeting, said during the meeting that that there are “too many negatives” with the current program, and supported a change. Daniels described parking as a “real problem” during the Neighborhood Cleanup service because it coincides with regular trash pickup, leaving nowhere on the streets for residents to park.

Councilmember MariJane Lopez-Taff suggested phasing out the program gradually to an on-call service, and also suggested citing drivers who are “clearly” scavengers.

The contract with Republic Services for the Neighborhood Cleanup program ends in three years, the city said. Poole also suggested eventually decreasing the allotted time to set out items from 48 hours to 24 hours.

Vice Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa expressed concern regarding being charged for actions taken by individuals dumping illegally on her property without her knowing. Karpinski-Costa also said the city tried to do an on-call bulk item pickup service in the past and “it didn’t work.” Karpinski-Costa suggested that changing to an on-call service option would only encourage scavengers to drive around more frequently looking for items.

The council collectively agreed to consider a future resolution that would seek to amend the current contract with Republic Services to allow for “staff authority to customize service in certain areas,” such as HOAs and mobile home parks, and include the issuance of penalties for setting out items outside of a 48-hour window.