The township is looking for ways to get waste collection services initiated earlier in new subdivisions in the municipality.
With a number of subdivisions not fully built out, including roads not yet assumed by the township, some residents have been left holding the bag on garbage collection.
“Even though it’s not a lower tier responsibility, we are trying to find answers for our residents,” public works superintendant Brad McRoberts reported to council at its Feb. 10 meeting.
Roberts pointed out both township and Wellington County staff have received several inquiries regarding the provision of waste collection services on unassumed roads.
County operations superintendant for solid waste services Das Soligo explained in a letter to McRoberts that the division has long taken the approach collection is not extended until an area under construction is 100 per cent complete.
“However, SWS continually monitors areas and will extend collection service as soon as it is safely able to do so,” Soligo stated.
Soligo indicated the criteria for initiating waste and recycling pickup includes:
– no empty lots;
– driveways completed;
– lawns installed;
– houses complete;
– roads paved and curbs installed; and
– light standards installed.
McRoberts pointed out that currently Mapleton’s subdivision agreements don’t mention the provision of waste collection services and suggested clarification be provided for future agreements.
“At this time residents occupying a home on an unassumed road that has significant build out remaining will not receive waste collection services. Alternatives to the residents are to deliver their waste to the county’s waste transfer facility on (Wellington) Road 7,” McRoberts stated in his report.
Should the township elect to provide waste collection on an interim basis, McRoberts suggested alternatives could include having private contractors collect the material or having township staff provide this service.
He noted township staff would require training and equipment and the task “would distract from other duties without additional resources.”
He also stated local contractors “may be expensive for the small level of service” and estimated the cost to the township could be about $8,000 per year, plus time to administer, address complaints, provide notifications and audit service levels.
“At this point township staff are recommending that waste management services remain at the county level and that affected residents continue to deliver their waste materials to the transfer station until such time the county can assume the delivery of the service,” the report states.
Mayor Neil Driscoll suggested he and McRoberts could meet with county officials to clarify the situation.
“In Mapleton it could take us a long time to get a subdivision to 100% completion,” he stated.
Residential development in Mapleton is currently hindered by restrictions due to a lack of available wastewater capacity.
“We’re not the same as other municipalities in Wellington County and it’s pretty hard to explain to someone who’s bought a house in town and feels they bought the house with water, sewer and garbage” services available, said Driscoll.
Council received McRoberts report, which included recommendations to:
– direct staff to revise the township’s standard subdivision agreement template to reflect the county’s criteria for beginning waste management collection services;
– consider obligating developers to provide waste collection services; and
– formalize triggers in the agreement for initiating waste services by the county.
