RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL REGULATIONS

Sacramento City Code tit. 17, div. VI, ch. 17.616

in effect

Sacramento City Code § 17.616.010 Purpose and applicability.

17.616.010 Purpose and applicability. A. Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the location, size, and design features of recycling and trash enclosures in order to provide adequate and convenient space for the collection, storage, and loading of recyclable and solid waste material for existing and new development; increase recycling of used materials; and reduce litter. The regulations in this chapter are necessary to lengthen the lifespan of landfills, encourage recycling, and meet state-mandated goals for waste reduction and recycling. B. Applicability. These regulations apply to existing and new multi-unit dwellings with five or more units, commercial, office, industrial, and public or quasi-public uses. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

Sacramento City Code § 17.616.020 Statement of recycling information requirement.

17.616.020 Statement of recycling information requirement. Prior to issuance of a building permit for new development, the applicant shall submit for the solid waste manager's approval a statement of recycling information. The statement of recycling information shall include: A. A site plan that includes the location and design specifications of the recycling and trash enclosures and receptacles that meet the volume and material requirements of this chapter and identifies materials to be recycled; B. A demolition and construction plan that specifies any proposed recycling of building material in the demolition of any structure on the site, and specifies any recycled material to be used in the construction of the proposed development; and C. An education and public relations program, to instruct users of the development about the benefits of recycling and how to recycle. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

Sacramento City Code § 17.616.030 Recycling volume requirement.

17.616.030 Recycling volume requirement. Recycling volume shall be provided and maintained as specified in the table below for the use to which the property is devoted. Fractional requirements up to one-half are omitted; fractional requirements of one-half or over require additional volume. Land Use | Recycling Volume Required | Recyclable Materials 1. Multi-unit dwelling of 5 or more dwelling units | 1 cubic yard/16 units | metal, glass, plastic, newspaper (ONP) 2. Commercial | | a. Office and general commercial | 1 cubic yard/40,000 square feet | beverage containers, office paper, computer paper, newspaper (ONP), corrugated cardboard (OCC) b. Restaurant; bar | 1 cubic yard/5,000 square feet; 90-gallon container minimum | metal, glass, and plastics, corrugated cardboard (OCC) c. Retail sales | 1 cubic yard/8,000 square feet; 90-gallon container minimum | corrugated cardboard (OCC), office paper, computer paper d. Retail services | 1 cubic yard/10,000 square feet; 90-gallon container minimum | corrugated cardboard (OCC), office paper, computer paper e. Motel; hotel; inn; bed and breakfast | 1 cubic yard/20 rooms; 90-gallon container minimum | metal, glass, plastics, newspaper (ONP) f. Auto service and repair | 1 cubic yard/3,000 square feet | tires, motor oil, scrap metal 3. Industrial | propose volume in recycling information | propose materials in recycling information 4. Public or quasi-public | | a. School | 1 cubic yard/50 rooms | paper, cardboard, beverage containers b. Library; church | calculate volume using office sq. ft. | office paper, computer paper c. Park | supply recycling receptacle with each garbage receptacle unless park prohibits food and drink from outside the park and food and beverage containers provided in the park are paper only | beverage containers 5. Hospital; medical clinic | none except cafeteria (subsection 2.b of this table) and vending machines (section 17.616.060.A) | metal, glass, plastics, corrugated cardboard (OCC) 6. Other land uses | propose volume in recycling information | propose materials in recycling information (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

Sacramento City Code § 17.616.040 Development standards for recycling and trash enclosures.

17.616.040 Development standards for recycling and trash enclosures. A. Enclosure and receptacle requirement. 1. Recycling and trash enclosures with recycling and garbage receptacles shall be required for: a. Multi-unit dwellings with five or more units; b. Any commercial, office, or public or quasi-public project where garbage receptacles are being used and the receptacles are not stored wholly within the building; and c. Any industrial project where garbage receptacles are being used and the garbage receptacle are not stored wholly within the building or screened by landscaping, fencing or a structure. 2. The receptacles shall be screened from public view by landscaping, fencing, or a structure. The recycling collection area and the trash collection area shall be adjacent to one another. B. Materials, construction, and design of the enclosure. 1. Walls. The walls of each recycling and trash enclosure shall be constructed of solid masonry material with decorative exterior surface finish compatible to the main structure. The walls shall be a minimum of 6 feet in height. 2. Gates. Each recycling and trash enclosure shall have decorative solid heavy gauge metal gates and shall be designed with cane bolts to secure the gates when in the open and closed positions. 3. Concrete apron. a. A concrete apron shall be constructed either in front of each recycling and trash enclosure or at the point of receptacle pick-up to minimize damage to the surrounding asphalt paving. b. The minimum dimensions of the concrete apron for a 2 cubic-yard receptacle are 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. c. The concrete apron shall be 15 feet wide and 20 feet long whenever a crane-lifted recycling container will be used. d. Receptacles that are larger than 2 cubic yards require a larger concrete apron, subject to the approval of the city building inspection division. e. Paving material shall consist of 5-inch aggregate base rock and 6-inch Portland cement paving. 4. Overhead clearance. The recycling and trash enclosure shall be designed to allow 18 feet of overhead clearance whenever crane-lifted dome recycling receptacles will be used. C. Signs. Signs shall be permanently posted or painted on each receptacle listing the type of material that may be disposed of in that receptacle. General instructions about how to recycle shall be posted within the recycling and trash enclosure or near the receptacle area and shall be visible to the enclosure or receptacle users. The name and phone number of the person responsible for maintenance of the enclosure or receptacle shall be posted. Any sign visible from outside the enclosure shall be no larger than 4 square feet. D. Parking. With the exception of section 17.616.050.C for existing development, no recycling and trash enclosure or receptacle shall be located in any required parking space. E. Convenient access for multi-unit dwelling residents. Each recycling and trash enclosure within a multi-unit dwelling shall be located and designed to allow the convenient disposal of recyclable materials and trash by residents without having to open the main enclosure gates. F. Regular collection. The property owner is responsible for regular pick-up of recyclable material. Recyclable material shall not be allowed to accumulate such that a visual or public health or safety nuisance is created. G. Security. The recycling and trash enclosure and receptacles may be secured to prevent the theft of recyclable materials by unauthorized persons as long as the enclosure remains accessible for disposal of materials by authorized persons. H. Maintenance. The property owner shall maintain each recycling and trash enclosure and receptacle. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

Sacramento City Code § 17.616.050 Exceptions to the development standards for existing development.

17.616.050 Exceptions to the development standards for existing development. Legally nonconforming recycling and trash enclosures for existing development shall comply with all of the regulations in section 17.616.040 except as provided below. A. Existing trash enclosure. If the existing development has an existing trash enclosure, then a receptacle adequate for the required recycling volume shall be located inside the trash enclosure. If it is not possible to locate the required recycling receptacles in the trash enclosure, the recycling receptacles shall be located adjacent to the existing trash enclosure. Any proposed modifications to the existing trash enclosure shall comply with the requirements in section 17.616.040. B. No existing trash enclosure. If the existing development does not have an existing trash enclosure, the required recycling receptacles shall be located adjacent to the existing dumpster or other receptacle. Any proposed recycling and trash enclosure shall comply with the requirements listed in section 17.616.040. The required recycling volume and suggested recyclable materials are those listed in the table in section 17.616.030. C. Exception-Waiver of parking requirement. To meet the required recycling volume requirement, an existing development may use one parking space for the location of the recycling receptacles, provided the enclosure or receptacles meet the design specifications in section 17.616.040. A parking space that has been converted to recycling receptacle area shall be marked for recycling and shall be adequately barricaded by the installation of concrete wheel stops or other method to prevent use as a parking space. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

Source: City of Sacramento, Sacramento City Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sacramentoca/latest/sacramento_ca/0-0-0-39390Fetched: 10/24/2026