Santa Paula Waste Franchise Agreement with Athens Services

On August 3, the Santa Paula City Council adopted a resolution awarding an exclusive solid waste franchise agreement to Athens Services and directed City staff to initiate the Proposition 218 process. To ensure the costs associated with implementing new state legislation are covered, the agreement includes rate adjustments for all customers beginning October 1.

The approved agreement supports important services requested by the City such as citywide illegal dumping services, street sweeping services, and e-waste and household hazardous waste events. Additionally, all residential customers will receive new bins for trash, recycling, and organic recycling.

A significant portion of the collected annual franchise fees are anticipated to be used for funding local street improvements and pavement maintenance throughout the City; a big win for our roads! Athens will also give back to the Santa Paula community by providing at least $50,000 a year to support City schools and community programs for the entire duration of the agreement.

Consistent with nearly all cities across California, the increase in monthly bill rates for residential and commercial customers is largely reflective of inflationary increases, ongoing franchise fees, and the mandatory implementation of organic waste and recycling laws such as Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383).

The implementation of SB 1383 is a top driver of the increased cost of services. This statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants requires all California cities, including Santa Paula, to reduce organic material waste in landfills and rescue surplus food sources from commercial establishments to feed Californians facing food insecurity. To comply with SB 1383 requirements, all California waste haulers, including Athens Services, must change their current waste collection and processing practices, which impact how customers sort their organic waste. Residents and businesses will be required to separate their organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, from their recyclables and other household waste products so these materials can be repurposed into products that help our environment, such as mulch and compost. 

In accordance with Proposition 218, Santa Paula property owners may protest certain property-related fees, assessments, and charges prior to any increases going into effect. The City of Santa Paula has mailed notices of the proposed rate adjustments to all affected customers and is holding a formal protest hearing on Wednesday, September 28.

If the majority of affected property owners do not protest the new rates at the hearing, the new rates will go into effect on October 1. 

For more information about the City’s partnership with Athens Services, visit their website or contact (888) 336-6100

Contact Information

Athens Environmental Services

Service or billing questions?
Call 
(805) 933-0100
(800) 336-6100
or visit:
athensservices.com/residential-services/santa-paula/

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