Pasadena to Consider Construction, Demolition Waste Management Plan Amendments

The City of Pasadena Municipal Services Committee will be considering proposed amendments to the city’s municipal code chapter 8.62 on waste management plans for certain construction and demolition projects. The meeting, scheduled for April 11, 2023, will address various enhancements to the C&D process, with the goal of streamlining the process and increasing program compliance and refunds.

The proposed amendments are part of an ongoing effort to comply with the California Assembly Bill 939, which was adopted in 1989 to divert C&D waste from landfills and promote recycling. Pasadena’s municipal code chapter 8.62 was adopted in 2002, and in 2014 it was amended to comply with new state assembly bill 341. This amendment expanded the covered projects to include residential remodeling, significantly increasing the number of projects required to comply. The minimum diversion goal was also raised from 50 to 75 percent, with the state raising the goal to 65 percent.

The C&D program applies to an estimated 1,100+ permitted projects each year, making it a labor-intensive process with submittals in various forms. However, the program lacked a comprehensive process and data tracking system, resulting in a time-intensive manual process for administration of refunds. Furthermore, some permittees were not aware of their eligibility for a refund of the C&D deposit.

To address these issues, the proposed amendments aim to integrate the C&D process into the building and safety permitting system (Energov), streamline the refund and appeal process, and clarify permit status definitions. A dedicated software, Green Halo, will be used for permittees to directly upload documents and track activities throughout construction, which will interact with the city’s permitting software (EnerGov). This will allow for convenient upload of weight tickets generated by recycling centers for accurate data reporting and streamline the approval and refunding of deposits.

The proposed amendments will also feature a new C&D waste management brochure to inform residents of the process and Green Halo’s role at the start of the permitting process. The City website will also be updated to include information on the C&D program.

If approved, the proposed amendments will be included in an ordinance to be drafted by the City Attorney within 60 days. The staff recommendation is to find that this action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines.

The Municipal Services Committee meet Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber in the Pasadena City Hall located at 100 North Garfield Avenue, Room S249. Members of the public who cannot attend in person can join the meeting through computer or electronic devices via cityofpasadena.net/cczoom, or through a telephone-only dial-in at 1-669-900-6833 with Meeting ID 161 482 446. The meeting will also be livestreamed with captioning available at www.pasadenamedia.org and at www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/agendas.