City Council to consider banning future recycling centers in Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
The City Council on Wednesday, Sept. 25, will hold a public hearing and discuss whether to approve a ban on additional recycling centers in the city limits. Currently, Citrus Heights has four recycling centers: one on Zenith Drive, two on Greenback Lane, and one on Auburn Boulevard near Greenback Lane.

A city staff report cited blight as a primary concern revolving around the city’s recycling centers. The report said, “observations have shown the areas surrounding the centers are littered with abandoned shopping carts, have increased calls for services in the vicinity and other blight inducing activities.”

The ban was previously proposed during an Aug. 13 Planning Commission meeting, which also included the proposal of several other ordinance amendments and updates.

A local recycling center owner who spoke during the public hearing portion of the Planning Commission meeting in August expressed concern that a future ban on new recycling centers would not allow for the addition of new, high-tech recycling centers to be established locally.

A visit by Sentinel staff on Tuesday to Ivan’s Recycling center during business hours found the center free and clean of blight in and around the immediate vicinity.

An initial motion to pass all proposed amendments, made by Commissioner Tom Scheeler, received only one other vote of support from Commissioner James Remick. An alternate motion made by Commissioner Marcelle Flowers to approve all proposed amendments, with the exclusion of a ban on new recycling centers, resulted in some confusion from the commissioners and city staff. After further discussion, at least two commissioners requested to change their vote. As a result, the commission was forced to re-vote.

In a third round of voting, Chair Natalee Price and Commissioners Flowers, Kelsey Nelson and Andrew Van Duker voted in favor of passing the motion originally made by Flowers, which excluded the addition of a ban on recycling centers. The issue now goes before the City Council, with clarification that the proposed ban would allow for existing recycling centers “to modify and improve should new technologies, legal requirements or operational procedures become available.”

Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at City Hall at 6 p.m., or by submitting a written comment beforehand using the city’s website. The deadline to submit comments online is 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting. See full agenda packet online: Click here. City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.