Solid Waste Tipping Fees, Maximum Franchised Collection Rates, and New Cuyama Parcel Fees for FY 2026/27 - All Supervisorial Districts

The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division, is establishing fee schedules for solid waste handling and disposal at its operated facilities—landfill, transfer stations, and the Community Hazardous Waste Center—for Fiscal Year 2026/27, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. This action includes an increase in tipping fees to $203.45 per ton at the Taijquas Landfill, an average 4.09% increase across most waste handling fees, a 3.67% average increase in maximum franchised collection rates for unincorporated areas divided into five zones, and a 3.03% increase for hazardous waste services at UCSB, all designed to cover operational costs, debt service, regulatory compliance, and closure/post-closure obligations without expanding system capacity. New Cuyama parcel fees remain unchanged for the fiscal year but are under review for future adjustment. The fee adjustments are administratively adopted under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption specified in Section 15273(a)(1), (2), and (4), which permits routine rate changes for cost recovery without requiring a full environmental impact report, relying on prior environmental reviews for infrastructure projects. The process is not a procurement contract but a regulatory resolution initiated by the County, with adoption formalized through filing of a Notice of Exemption and supporting documentation at the County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. Payment for environmental processing fees is collected at the time of filing via cash, check, or credit, though no formal invoicing system, payment office, or accounting codes such as TAS or ACRN are established for this action. No contractors are engaged; the County itself administers services and enforces fee compliance through its public facility operations. There are no contract clauses, delivery terms, inspection criteria, or award evaluation factors typical of federal procurement, and no solicitations, unique entity identifiers, or socioeconomic certifications apply because this is a public agency’s internal fee-setting action under state environmental law. The primary point of contact for inquiries is John Viggianelli, Engineering Environmental Planner, with additional support from Jeanette Gonzales-Knight, Deputy Director.