HomeMy WebLinkAboutSingle-Use Carryout Bag Reduction Ordinance, plastic bags, r CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
City Council Interoffice Communication
To: Honorable City Council Member
From: Connie Boardman, Mayor
Joe Shaw, City Council Mem 7
Date: February 4, 2013
Subject: CITY COUNCIL ITEM FOR FEBRUARY 4, 2013 — SINGLE-USE
CARRYOUT BAG REDUCTION ORDINANCE
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
On August 15, 2011, the City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance for the.
reduction of single-use plastic bags within certain Huntington Beach retail establishments.
The City Council subsequently authorized a contract with Rincon Consultants to prepare
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed ordinance in the amount of
$29,948.00. The draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR No. 2011-002) was prepared
according to schedule. A total of three comment letters were received and a Response to
Comments/Final EIR has been prepared. Thus, the EIR is ready to be scheduled for
hearing.
However, the City Council's approval of the EIR contract included a condition that the EIR
cannot be brought forward for City Council consideration until the city is reimbursed for the
entire cost of the contract by outside organizations. To date, the city has received a total
of $4,500.00 in donated funds towards the costs of preparing the EIR and funds in the
amount of $25,448.00 remain to be collected.
We ask that the City Council vote to direct staff to schedule the proposed ordinance and
EIR No. 11-002 for a City Council public hearing for consideration.
Further delays in the review of the proposed single-use carryout bag ordinance will only
intensify the environmental degradation this proposed ordinance seeks to solve.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Direct staff to schedule the Single-Use Carryout Bag Reduction Ordinance and
Environmental Impact Report No. 2011-002 for consideration before the City Council at
the regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, March 18, 2013.
xc: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager
Bob Hall, Deputy City Manager
Scott Hess, Director of Planning & Building
Mary Beth Broeren, Planning Manager
Hayden Beckman, Planning Aide
Kim DeCoite, Administrative Aide
0
CITY OF HUNTINGT N BEACH
City Council Interoffice Communication
To: Honorable City Council Members
From: Connie Boardman, Mayor 6t 6�
Joe Shaw, City Council Member
Date: December 20, 2012
Subject: CITY COUNCIL ITEM FOR JANUARY 22, 2013-REUSABLE BAG
ORDINANCE
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
On August 15, 2011, the City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance for the
reduction of single-use plastic bags within certain Huntington Beach retail establishments.
The City Council subsequently authorized a contract with Rincon Consultants to prepare
an Environmental impact Report (EIR) for the proposed ordinance in the amount of
$29,948.00. The draft Environmental impact Report (EIR No. 2011-002) was prepared
according to schedule. A total of three comment letters were received and a Response to
Comments/Final EIR has been prepared. Thus, the EIR is ready to be scheduled for
hearing.
However, the City Council's approval of the EIR contract included a condition that the EIR
cannot be brought forward for City Council consideration until the city is reimbursed for the
entire cost of the contract by outside organizations. To date, the city has received a total
of$4,500.00 in donated funds towards the costs of preparing the EIR and funds in the
amount of$25,448.00 remain to be collected.
We ask that the City Council vote to direct staff to schedule the proposed ordinance and
EIR No. 11-002 for a City Council public hearing for consideration.
Further delays in the review of the proposed reusable bag ordinance will only intensify the
environmental degradation this proposed ordinance seeks to solve.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Direct staff to schedule the Reusable Bag Ordinance and Environmental Impact Report
No. 2011-002 for consideration before the City Council at the regularly scheduled meeting
on Tuesday, February 19, 2013."
xc: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager
Bob Hall, Deputy City Manager
Scott Hess, Director of Planning & Building
Mary Beth Broeren, Planning Manager
Hayden Beckman, Planning Aide
Kim DeCoite, Administrative Aide
Esparza, Patty
From: Flynn, Joan
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 3:14 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL
Cc: Esparza, Patty
Subject: FW: Agenda Item 12
Attachments: Council Letter 1.22.13.pdf
Council members--This item came too late to be included in the supplemental communication packet, so I am sending
it to you this way. Thanks. Joan
From: Sarah Sheehy [mailto:ssheehy@CAGrocers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 3:01 PM
To: fwilson@surfcity-hb.org; Flynn, Joan; Boardman, Connie
Subject: Agenda Item 12
Good Afternoon,
Please find attached our letter regarding carryout bag policies. As I mention, we are comfortable with a
ban on plastic bags, if it is coupled with a mandated charge on paper bags.
Please let me know if you have any specific questions and we really appreciate you working with us.
All the best,
Sarah
Sarah Sheehy
California Grocers Association
Director, Government Relations, Southern California
1020 N. Lake Street
Burbank, CA 91502
818.841.8640 (phone)
310.779.6860 (cell)
916.448.2793 (fax)
ssheehy0)cagrocers.com (email)
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January 22, 2013 �r
Honorable Connie Boardman
Mayor, Huntington Beach City Council
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
RE: Agenda Item 12—Discussion of Ban on Single Use Plastic Carryout Bags
Dear Mayor Boardman:
On behalf of the California Grocers Association(CGA), I applaud the city for considering such
an important issue. If you do move forward,however, I urge you to consider what has become
the model ordinance in California—a ban on plastic, charge for paper type of ordinance. As you
are aware, CGA has worked with dozens of jurisdictions throughout California on a compromise
solution that protects the environment and protects retailers—a ban on plastic, charge for paper
model. This helps our members avoid a patchwork policy, which can be very damaging to our
industry.
The California Grocers Association is a non-profit, statewide trade association representing the
retail food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 500 retail member companies,
many of which do business in Huntington Beach. Collectively our members operate more than
6,000 retail food stores in California. Those outlets represent the breadth of diversity of
California's retail food industry and include traditional supermarkets, convenience stores,
wholesale merchandisers, and independent supermarkets. CGA represents many of the grocery
companies operating in the City of Huntington Beach.
Dozens of jurisdictions across California have regulated or are in the process of regulating
single-use carryout bags. Those successful efforts generally involve a ban on single-use plastic
bags and a charge on specified single-use paper bags. This approach taken in other jurisdictions
is one that has included robust stakeholder participation and in the end embodies broad
consensus on the issue. It is important to note that such a model has become the standard in
California. Following what has proven to be an effective and workable approach elsewhere
helps increase consistency for businesses with store locations in multiple jurisdictions and for the
Huntington Beach region's very mobile consumers.
Experience with the Los Angeles County carryout bag ordinance, which bans single-use plastic
bags and allows recyclable paper bags for a charge, has shown a dramatic shift in consumer
behavior away from single-use carryout bags toward reusable bag use. Industry information is
showing an almost immediate flip in consumer behavior with over 70%of consumers either
bringing their own bag or choosing no bag at all in the first few weeks of implementation. Over a
California Grocers Association 11020 N.Lake Street I Burbank,CA 91502 1 P:818-841-8640 1 F:916-448-2793
s
o r. void•.... lit.
period of a few months the amount of consumers choosing not to use a single-use bag has
climbed to over 80%. Stores that have seen this policy enacted for even longer periods of time
have seen close to 94%of customers bring in reusable bags. This type of regulation is
environmentally effective and protects retailers,by allowing them to recoup the costs of
providing a much more expensive bag to the customer.
Allowing a small charge for paper bags also protects consumers by providing a low-cost option
for unplanned purchases. If a customer comes to a store bringing three reusable bags, but buys
four bags of groceries,they have an option of purchasing a paper bag for a ten cent charge, as
opposed to spending a $1.00 on another reusable bag. Grocery stores operate on less than 1%
profit margins so every penny counts.
Again, we applaud council for considering this very important issue and we urge you to consider
the ban on plastic, charge for paper model if you do move forward. We look forward to working
with you throughout this process.
Thank You,
Sarah Paulson Sheehy
Director, Local Government Relations
cc: Members, Huntington Beach City Council
Fred Wilson, City Manager
Joan L. Flynn, City Clerk
California Grocers Association 11020 N.Lake Street I Burbank,CA 91502 1 P:818-841-8640 1 F:916-448-2793
F9ynn, Joan
From: Sarah Sheehy[ssheehy@CAGrocers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 3:01 PM
To: fwilson@surfcity-hb.org; Flynn, Joan; Boardman, Connie
Subject: Agenda Item 12
Attachments: Council Letter 1.22.13.pdf
Good Afternoon,
Please find attached our letter regarding carryout bag policies. As I mention, we are comfortable with a
ban on plastic bags, if it is coupled with a mandated charge on paper bags.
Please let me know if you have any specific questions and we really appreciate you working with us.
All the best,
Sarah
Sarah Sheehy
California Grocers Association
Director, Government Relations, Southern California
1020 N. Lake Street
Burbank, CA 91502
818.841.8640 (phone)
310.779.6860 (cell)
916.448.2793 (fax)
ssheehy(a)cagrocers.com (email)
January 22, 2013
Honorable Connie Boardman
Mayor, Huntington Beach City Council
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
RE: Agenda Item 12—Discussion of Ban on Single Use Plastic Carryout Bags
Dear Mayor Boardman:
On behalf of the California Grocers Association (CGA), I applaud the city for considering such
an important issue. If you do move forward, however, I urge you to consider what has become
the model ordinance in California—a ban on plastic, charge for paper type of ordinance. As you
are aware, CGA has worked with dozens of jurisdictions throughout California on a compromise
solution that protects the environment and protects retailers—a ban on plastic, charge for paper
model. This helps our members avoid a patchwork policy, which can be very damaging to our
industry.
The California Grocers Association is a non-profit, statewide trade association representing the
retail food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 500 retail member companies,
many of which do business in Huntington Beach. Collectively our members operate more than
6,000 retail food stores in California. Those outlets represent the breadth of diversity of
California's retail food industry and include traditional supermarkets, convenience stores,
wholesale merchandisers, and independent supermarkets. CGA represents many of the grocery
companies operating in the City of Huntington Beach.
Dozens of jurisdictions across California have regulated or are in the process of regulating
single-use carryout bags. Those successful efforts generally involve a ban on single-use plastic
bags and a charge on specified single-use paper bags. This approach taken in other jurisdictions
is one that has included robust stakeholder participation and in the end embodies broad
consensus on the issue. It is important to note that such a model has become the standard in
California. Following what has proven to be an effective and workable approach elsewhere
helps increase consistency for businesses with store locations in multiple jurisdictions and for the
Huntington Beach region's very mobile consumers.
Experience with the Los Angeles County carryout bag ordinance, which bans single-use plastic
bags and allows recyclable paper bags for a charge, has shown a dramatic shift in consumer
behavior away from single-use carryout bags toward reusable bag use. Industry information is
showing an almost immediate flip in consumer behavior with over 70%of consumers either
bringing their own bag or choosing no bag at all in the first few weeks of implementation. Over a
California Grocers Association 11020 N.Lake Street I Burbank,CA 91502 1 P:818-841-8640 1 F:916-448-2793
= pi'
0.1*vice iloci #it•
period of a few months the amount of consumers choosing not to use a single-use bag has
climbed to over 80%. Stores that have seen this policy enacted for even longer periods of time
have seen close to 94% of customers bring in reusable bags. This type of regulation is
environmentally effective and protects retailers, by allowing them to recoup the costs of
providing a much more expensive bag to the customer.
Allowing a small charge for paper bags also protects consumers by providing a low-cost option
for unplanned purchases. If a customer comes to a store bringing three reusable bags, but buys
four bags of groceries, they have an option of purchasing a paper bag for a ten cent charge, as
opposed to spending a$1.00 on another reusable bag. Grocery stores operate on less than 1%
profit margins so every penny counts.
Again, we applaud council for considering this very important issue and we urge you to consider
the ban on plastic, charge for paper model if you do move forward. We look forward to working
with you throughout this process.
Thank You,
Sarah Paulson Sheehy
Director, Local Government Relations
cc: Members, Huntington Beach City Council
Fred Wilson, City Manager
Joan L. Flynn, City Clerk
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California Grocers Association 11020 N.Lake Street I Burbank,CA 91502 1 P:818-841-8640 1 F:916-448-2793