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11.3 SR 08-07-2023Request for Action To Item Number Ma ror and Cinr Council 11.3 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by Work Session August 7, 2023 Tim Sevcik, Street and Park Superintendent Item Description Reviewed by Compost Transfer FacilityT PolicyT ustin Femrite P.E., Public Works Director Reviewed by Cal Pormer, Ci r Administrator Action Requested Revie`v and provide staff direction on the draft policyT for the Compost Transfer Facility. Background/Discussion The Cit�T of Elk River currentl�T operates and maintains a compost transfer facilit�T at the public works campus. This is one of four compost facilities partiallyT funded through a Sherburne Count�T SCORE grant These facilities are free to all Sherburne Countyr Yesidents for disposal of compostable materials to include grass, leaves, otheY vegetation, and brush and logs less than six inches diameter. In addition, the Elk River facilityT offers �vaste oil and filter recycling and organics food waste recycling. Over the past several yTears, `ve have observed an increasing amount of non-acceptable items dumped at the facilityT. Non-acceptable items include rock, large volumes of dirt, household `vaste, stumps, etc. As a result, staff must handpick through the piles within the site daily to remove unwanted materials to prevent damage to grinding equipment and/or contamination of materials. Past contaminants have resulted in several processing companies declining to provide grinding services because of damage to their equipment. CurrentlyT, the cityT does not have a policyT to direct how to enforce compost site violations. We also lack an ordinance that would detail enforcement of said violations. Staff has drafted a policyT for the operation of the facilityT and seeks Council feedback. Financial Impact None Mission/Policy/Goal Responsible for everyT dollar — good ste`vards Attachments ■ Draft Compost Transfer FacilityT PolicyT The Elk River Vision A 2a�elcolning co�nlnunity 2a�ith T evolutiona� y and spizzted T esou� cefulness, exceptional se�vice, and coln�nunity engagelnent that encou�ages and ins�iz•es pTo�pe�zty. rowEREo ar �I'1 ���� Update�l• January 2023 Compost Transfer Facility Policy Forward The purpose of the Elk River Compost Transfer Facility is to provide Sherburne County residents free disposal of yard waste, brush, organics recycling, and used oils. Four similar facilities are operated throughout Sherburne County in Elk River, Zimmerman, Big Lake, and Becker. These facilities are available to all Sherburne CountyT residents using a standard access card common among the sites. Partial funding of the sites is provided by Sherburne County in the form of a SCORE grant with the remaining balance for each site funded byT the respective cities. Materials `vithin the Elk River facilityT are divided into four categories, grass and leaves, brush and logs, organics recycling, and waste oil. Residents are required to separate their waste into the appropriate piles or storage containers to prevent contamination of each individual material. As a�Tard waste compost transfer facilit�r, the cityT does not conduct anyT composting of the materials on site and does not provide processed compost materials to the public. Composting facilities are defined and regulated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency into 5 categories: ■ BackyaYd composting — Utilized for homeowneYs to compost materials for their personal use. No peYmit required. ■ Organics drop-off sites — Communittr collection sites for drop off of household compostable food waste, utilized for collection and transport. No permit required. ■ Small compost sites — Small compost sites are limited to 120 cubic yaYds of material foY communityr gardens, universities, apartment buildings, commercial properties, etc. No permit required. ■ Yard waste compost transfer facilityT — Large scale collection site for �Tard `vaste to include leaves, grass clippings, vegetation, brush, and logs. No composting is conducted on site, these sites are primarilyT utilized as collection areas for materials to be transported to a secondaryT site (yTard `vaste compost facilityT) for processing. Permit required. ■ Yard ��aste compost facilityT — Large scale sites utilized for processing yTard waste into a suitable composted material. PeYmit required. Elk River's site falls into two categories of compost facilities; organics drop-off site and yTard waste compost transfer facilityT. In addition to these services, the site also serves as a used oil collection site. The city contracts with outside vendors to remove collected materials from the facilityT which theyT then process into other recycled materials. This policyT is a summaryT of procedures and policies of the cityT as theyT relate to the compost transfer site operations. Introduction SheYburne County Yesidents must Yequest a pass from one of the paYtnering cities to gain access to the sites. In addition to Yesident use, contractors performing landscape maintenance ma�r access the site utilizing the compost pass of the resident properttT owner on whose properttT the work was performed. Through the parmership `vith Sherburne CounnT, the cityT assumes responsibilityT for the operations and maintenance of the site to include establishing contracts for the disposal of materials collected from the site. DailyT maintenance of the site is conducted byT public works staff to ensure the site remains clean of unauthorized materials, pile collected materials, and ensure safetyr of the site foY its users. Poi��y Faciliry Operating Procedures The Street and Park Superintendent oY designee is Yesponsible foY the overall operation and maintenance of the facilityT. DailyT maintenance is conducted MondayT through FridayT during scheduled shifts and mayT be conducted on ��eekends during the peak fall leaf dYop season. Maintenance activities are tracked in the compost site logbook located in the public works breakroom. Daily maintenance includes: ■ Removing garbage and other unauthorized materials from the piles of compostable material. ■ Separating piles of compostable material from brush and logs and pushing up piles. ■ Inspecting the waste oil dYop off site and dumpsters. ■ Overall site inspection for hazards, signage, and damage. In addition to daily site maintenance, staff conducts `veekl�r inspections of the oil drop site and dumpster area. AnnuallyT, or as needed, staff contracts `vith outside vendors to grind and transport brush and logs and transport grass and leaf waste to certified composting facilities. Facility Rules Use of the facilit�T is managed b�T the cit�T under rules set byT the countyT and four managing cities to ensure equit�r and compliance for all residents. These rules were established to ensure safetyT to the public utilizing the site, ensure the site remained open and free to residents, maintain consistenc�T of all sites, and ensure compliance with state regulations for composting facilities. In addition, limitations on the tyTpes of acceptable materials were established to prevent damage to processing equipment and ensure an acceptable product for contracted vendors. Site Rules ■ No vehicles oveY 19,500 GVW. ■ No chainsa`v or equipment operation. ■ No smoking or fires permitted within the site. ■ No materials fYom outside SheYburne Counttr. ■ No commercial haulers, la�vn and tree removal service providers must have the compost pass for whom they are performing the woYk to access the site. Acceptable Materials Non-acceptable Materials ■ Leaves AnyTthing not listed as Acceptable Material to include ■ Grass Clippings but not limited to: ■ Brush ■ Branches less than six inches diameter ■ Oil, filters, oY antifYeeze ■ Organics food �vaste ■ Yard waste from outside Sherburne CountyT ■ Boxes ■ Commercial waste ■ Appliances ■ Concrete, asphalt, or rocks ■ Garbage ■ Leaf, plastic, or trash bags ■ Pallets oY dimensional lumbeY ■ Tree Stumps ■ BYanches oY trees gYeater than siY inches diameter ■ Dirt, sand, landscape rock, edging, or landscape fabric Compost Transfer Facility Access Card Sherburne County residents must obtain a compost pass from the cityT in `vhich theyT are a resident. Township residents mayT obtain a pass from the nearest compost facilit�T. Residents mayT receive one free compost pass per household `vhich allo`vs use of all four countyT facilities. Passes mayT be obtained byT contacting Elk RiveY Public WoYks at 763-635-1120, online at htt�s://��ww.ElkRiverMN.gov/com�ost, or at CityT Hall front desk during regular business hours. Phone and online pass requests will be mailed the next business day. Replacement passes may be obtained with a$5.00 fee. The compost access card is a pro�mityT card. Users must `vaive the card in front of the card reader located at the entrance to the compost facilityr. Upon departure fYom the facility, users must appYoach the site gate with will activate the gate allowing e�t Contractors performing «�ork for residents of Sherburn Count�r must utilize a compost access card of the resident they are performing �vork for. Contractors utilizing their peYsonal residential access caYd to access the site foY commercial use will have their caYds deactivated. Each scan of the access card is recorded in a shared database through the count�-'s soft�vare program. Facility Use Violations To ensure the compost site Yemains open and free to the public, it is expected that the useYs of the site will follow the Yules as outlined in this policy. Contaminants such as rocks, garbage, dirt, etc. listed above in the non-acceptable materials list may cause damage to processing equipment and/oY contaminate the Yecycled end pYoduct making it unusable. Non-acceptable items therefore must be Yemoved by staff prioY to pushing up the piles which is veryT labor intensi`re. Users of the facilit�T violating this polic�T ma�� have their access card deactivated; may be required to remove their non-acceptable materials; or ma�� be subject to fines/billing to reimburse the cost of disposal of the materials to include staff time and equipment. Verification of illegal dumping of non-acceptable materials will be conducted utilizing cameYa footage from the securit�r cameYas located within the site along with access caYd scans to verify the name of the individual assigned to the card or direct obser�ration. The Street and Park Superintendent and/oY designee will review the infraction and decide as to the consequences for the infraction. If it is determined that the user is required to remove the materials from the site, the Superintendent and/oY designee will make contact the with pass holder to carryr out the corrective action. If the pass holdeY fails to remove the non-acceptable materials from the site Yesulting in costs incurYed to the city foY disposal of the materials, the information will be turned oveY to the Elk River Police Department for a citation to be issued. CommeYcial haulers found to be utilizing the site without the pass of the resident for whom the woYk is performed for shall have their individual card deactivated. In addition, users found operating chainsaws, vehicles over 19,500 GVW or other equipment shall have their cards deactivated. Compost Transfer Station Policy The Public Works Division shall maintain compost site procedures manual and maintenance activity logbook. Compost Transfer Station Policy History Adopted by: On (date) Item #