By Brett Callwood
An uneventful meeting of the City Council on the evening of Tuesday, June 11 saw two contracts unanimously passed.
Public Works item 16A called for the council to, “approve contract for HF&H Consultants, LLC to monitor the solid waste agreement and manage Senate Bill 1383 requirements for the City of Gardena, in the amount of $226,000.”
The staff note reads, “Since 2020, HF&H Consultants, LLC (HF&H) successfully updated the City’s Solid Waste Franchise Agreement and ordinances to include the SB 1383 requirements for the City, monitored the Solid Waste Franchise Agreement and managed the SB 1383 requirements. HF&H will continue to provide legislative and regulatory updates, prepare public education and outreach materials for recycling and organics diversion, analyze reports to ensure requirements are met, track procurement of recovered organic waste products, review the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Edible Food Generator and food recovery organization list, compile data for CalRecycle’s annual Electronic Annual Report and assist the City with preparing for the jurisdiction compliance evaluation. With over 20 years of experience, HF&H is a subject matter expert in solid waste, recycling compliance and environmental mandate requirements… Staff respectfully recommends that the City Council approve the two-year contract for HF&H to continue monitoring the Solid Waste Franchise Agreement and managing SB 1383 requirements, in the amount of $226,000.”
That passed without debate.
Public Works Item 16B called for, “Amending Chapter 13.04 Sewer System of the Gardena Municipal Code and Declare California Environmental Quality Act (QEQA) Exemption.”
There are no financial implications for the City, and staff noted, “These revisions ensure that the Municipal Code aligns with the updated Sewer Master Plan and Design Manual, reflects current best practices in sewer system design and construction. Therefore, staff recommends that the City Council introduce Ordinance 1868 amending Chapter 13.04 Sewer System of the Gardena Municipal Code. Additionally, declare that the adoption of this ordinance is categorically exempt under CEQA Article 5, Section 15061 (b), (3), “the common sense exemption”. The action is largely administrative in nature and designed to improve, not degrade, environmental quality, such that there is no possibility that adopting this Ordinance would adversely affect the environment in any manner that could be significant.”
