San Diego is hosting 10 community forums this winter and spring to get feedback on a proposed new monthly trash fee for single-family homes that would be among the highest in Southern California.
The feedback will help determine whether the city follows through on plans to add several new services and features to its trash and recycling program that would push the fee higher than it could otherwise be.
The first forum is Monday night at the Otay Mesa-Nestor branch library at 3003 Coronado Avenue. Other forums will be held weekly through early April in neighborhoods across the city. All of the forums run from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
City officials are proposing a monthly full-service rate of $53 that would rise to $65 in July 2027 when more trash and recycling services get added.
But customers willing to use smaller trash bins — 35 gallons, instead of the normal 95 gallons — would pay $42 per month instead of $53, and their rate would rise only to $52 in 2027.
City Council members and Mayor Todd Gloria have praised the plan, but some residents have questioned the necessity of all the new services, such as more frequent recycling collection and bulky-item pickup.
Others suggest officials should have given more consideration to keeping service at current levels so residents can pay less.
The debate comes with San Diego poised to start charging people in single-family homes for trash and recycling services after decades of those services being free.
Voters approved a ballot measure in 2022 that allows the city to start charging. The change also applies to most apartment and condo complexes with four units or fewer.
Being able to charge for trash pickup is expected to save the city more than $70 million a year and help close a budget deficit of more than $250 million.
Additional evening forums are scheduled for March 3 at the Rancho Peñasquitos Library at 13330 Salmon River Road, for March 10 at the Pacific Highlands Ranch Library at 12911 Pacific Place and for March 17 at the City Heights Library at 3795 Fairmount Avenue.
Others will be held on March 24 in Room 101 of Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado at 1650 El Prado, on March 25 at the Linda Vista Library at 2160 Ulric Street, on April 1 at the Skyline Hills Library at 7900 Paradise Valley Road, on April 7 at San Diego College of Continuing Education at 3249 Fordham Street and on April 8 at the North University Community Library at 8820 Judicial Drive.
An online forum has also been scheduled for 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. April 4.
A calendar of events and more information is available at cleangreensd.org.
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