The Department of Environmental Health is seeking across-the-board adjustments that all of the county’s trash collectors — Burrtec Waste, CR&R Inc., Desert Valley Disposal Inc. and Waste Management Inc. — want to incorporate into their contracts with the county.

Based on the county agency’s request Tuesday, the board scheduled the public hearing for May 12.

Officials said the adjustments are necessary to keep pace with inflation. The waste haulers are permitted to seek rate adjustments every year based on rising landfill, transportation and other costs. They generally base their proposed increases on the previous year’s estimated changes to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for the region.

The board rarely denies adjustment requests. However, in 2020, then- Supervisor Kevin Jeffries opposed increases, arguing financial hardships tied to the COVID lockdowns made it an inopportune time to hike fees on residents. The increases were approved despite his opposition.

The proposed Burrtec hike would impact customers in Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms, boosting monthly rates from an average $31.09 to $32.18.

Residents serviced by CR&R, which deploys trucks to De Luz, Gilman Hot Springs, Lakeland Village, Cherry Valley, Cabazon and surrounding locations, would see their bills go from between $35.73 and $37.88, to between $36.86 and $39.08.

Desert Valley Disposal customers, most of whom reside in North Palm Springs and Painted Hills, would be on the hook for a $1.28 increase, going from an average $37.78 to $39.06.

Waste Management’s new fee structure would increase from between $35.73 and $37.88, to between $36.86 and $39.08 per month for residential collections in El Cerrito, Highgrove, Winchester, Woodcrest and neighboring communities, according to the Department of Environmental Health.

In some cases, fees would increase beyond the averages under so-called “hard-to-reach” service plans, which apply when properties are especially remote.

Waste collection for the county occurs in defined “franchise areas,” which currently number 11. Most of the existing franchise agreements have been in place since the late 1990s.

If approved during the May 12 public hearing — when anyone can speak on the proposed increases — the new fees would take effect on July 1.

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In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board signed off on agency Director Jeff Johnson’s request for a hearing on alterations to the fee schedule going into fiscal year 2025-26. Johnson put the board on notice in January that proposed adjustments were in the works.

The department relies on the regional Consumer Price Index to gauge inflationary pressures on its budget, as well as consider other factors, such as demand on staff and resources, to make decisions regarding how much to raise fees in specific categories.

The agency minimized fee changes from 2020 to 2023, but returned with a request for significant revisions last year.

“We go back and analyze what we do. We ask if we can do some things better, create efficiencies,” Johnson told the board in April 2024. “We’ve had to absorb costs internally, but we’re a lean machine.”

The permit and inspection fees the department is seeking to increase cover a broad regulatory scheme, from food facilities to farm stands, and swimming pools to septic tanks.

Among the fees slated for an increase is the cost for a new tattoo parlor plan check, which would go from $526 to $796, a 34% jump.

The inspection fee assessed for a swimming pool replaster would increase to $398, compared to $252 now, a 37% difference.

The cost of inspecting a commissary’s prepackaged food items would go from $682 to $705, up 3%. A new fee would be established for inspecting unpackaged edibles in a commissary: $776.

A new fee would also apply for fulfilling a public records request, which would result in a $7 up-front charge.

To inspect an outlet selling tobacco products would cost $502 after July 1. The current charge is $477.

The cost of scrutinizing the sanitary standards of a produce stand would go from $299 to $315, a 5% change, and the inspection of any temporary event that involves commercial food sales or distribution would go from $318 to $326, a 2% increase.

A few fees would be left unchanged, including the food handler certification fee, which would remain at $28, and the department’s overall administrative processing fee, which would stay at $82.

The post Riverside County Permit Fees Expected To Dramatically Rise appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The Department of Environmental Health is seeking across-the-board adjustments that all of the county’s trash collectors — Burrtec Waste, CR&R Inc., Desert Valley Disposal and Waste Management Inc. — want to incorporate into their current contracts with the county.

Environmental Health Director Jeff Johnson was granted a public hearing on May 20 to formally submit the rate hikes for approval. Johnson said the adjustments are necessary to keep pace with inflation. The waste haulers are permitted to seek rate adjustments every year based on rising landfill, transportation and other costs.

The board rarely denies adjustment requests. However, in 2020, then-Supervisor Kevin Jeffries opposed increases, arguing financial hardships tied to the COVID lockdowns made it an inopportune time to hike fees on county residents. The increases were approved despite his opposition.

The Burrtec hike would boost customers’ monthly rates from an average $30.12 to $31.09.

Residents serviced by CR&R would see their bills go from between $35.49 and $37.13, to between $36.53 and $38.22.

Desert Valley Disposal customers would go from paying an average $36.72 to $37.78, and Waste Management’s new fee structure would increase from between $34.71 and $36.80, to between $35.73 and $37.88 per month for residential collections, according to the Department of Environmental Health.

In some cases, fees would increase beyond the averages under so-called “hard-to-reach” service plans, which apply when properties are especially remote.

Waste collection for the county occurs in defined “franchise areas,” which currently number 11 and encompass communities such as Bermuda Dunes, Cabazon, Desert Center, East Hemet, French Valley, Lakeland Village, Nuevo, Thermal, Thousand Palms and Winchester. Most of the existing franchise agreements have been in place since the 1990s.

If approved at the May 20 public hearing — when anyone can speak on the proposed increases — the new fees would take effect July 1.

The post Riverside Sets Public Hearing on Trash Collection Fee Hikes appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

“We’re not using only the consumer price index model,” agency Director Jeff Johnson told the board. “We’re looking at the costs and assignments on our end … (which are) variable across different aspects of what we regulate.”

Johnson emphasized the department did not seek any fee adjustments for the current fiscal year and is now seeking to offset expenses that have grown beyond what the agency can absorb and stay within budget.

“We go back and analyze what we do. We ask if we can do some things better, create efficiencies,” he said. “That’s why I didn’t come here last year and ask for a CPI adjustment. We’ve had to absorb costs internally, but we’re a lean machine.”

Supervisor Kevin Jeffries applauded the efficiency goal, saying he has never liked going along with other board members in applying a “rubber stamp and not ask what’s driving increases.”

“Anything that leads us to a process where we can see where the revenue challenges and the shortfalls are … is a benefit,” Jeffries said.

The permit and inspection fees the department is seeking to increase cover a broad regulatory scheme, from food facilities to farm stands, and swimming pools to septic tanks.

Among the higher fees slated for an increase is the permit for a community temporary event. The greater the number of vendors, the bigger the cost for a Department of Environmental Health review. A permit for an event featuring 26 to 30 vendors would go from $3,644 to $3,863, while an event with 56 to 60 vendors would rise from $7,202 to $7,634.

A catering permit would go from $527 to $563, while a produce stand permit would only rise $9 to $398.

The cost of a permit to sell unpackaged edibles from a mobile food facility would increase from $589 to $624, and to host a certified farmers market, a $543 fee would be required for a permit, compared to $522 currently.

The cost of a permit for installation of an underground storage tank would jump from $1,328 to $1,380, and the fee for closing an underground system would go from $944 to $962.

Among the smallest increases was for food handler certification, which is a $27 fee. It would bump up to $28 under the proposed amendments.

A few fees would be left unchanged, including the $140 inspection fee for a mobile home park and the 10-cent per page cost of clerical records supplied by the department.

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