Commercial and Multifamily Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Collection
Memorandum
Planning
763-593-8095 / 763-593-8109 (fax)
Date: July 14, 2011
To: Environmental Commission
From: Joe Hogeboom, City Planner
Subject: Report on Commercial and Multifamily Residential Solid Waste and Recycling
Collection
Property Maintenance Inspector Josh Kunde is responsible for the enforcement of City
Code, Section 4.60 which regulates trash collection at multifamily buildings. Josh reports
that there are a total of 52 multifamily residential buildings in Golden Valley, with a total of
1,706 units. Inspector Kunde, who holds biannual meetings with representatives from each
building, reports that all buildings participate in recycling. Inspector Kunde reports that
apartment building managers prefer to have waste and recycling collection on the same
day due to the noise impacts that collection trucks pose to residents.
Hennepin County reports that owners of multifamily buildings, apartment managers and
tenant associations (in the case of condominium buildings) are required to provide
occupants with the opportunity to recycle. Properties are encouraged to provide an easily
accessible collection area with either a dual-sort (paper separate, with glass, metal and
plastic combined) or single-sort (all materials combined in one container) collection system
for glass, paper, plastic and metal. Hennepin County offers free educational materials,
container labels and technical assistance for both multifamily property management, as
well as residents of multifamily buildings.
Hennepin County reports that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is currently working
on an initiative to improve the rate of commercial (non-residential) recycling in the Metro
Area. Currently, non-residential entities are not required to provide recycling services. The
MPCA is reportedly studying ways to incentivize recycling programs in the business
community. Unfortunately, information about this initiative is currently unavailable due to
the state government shut-down. Inspector Kunde reports that businesses are required to
keep waste and recycling collection areas clean and screened from public view.
Attachment
City Code Section 4.60: Residential Property Maintenance Code – 18 pages