By E. Medosch
Staff Writer
On July 8, the Signal Hill City Council, in a unanimous vote, approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with EDCO disposal corporation to build a solid-waste transfer station. The state-of-the-art facility would be located in Signal Hill’s West End, between California and Olive streets, south of Spring Street. The area has been used for oil production in the past and has blight and contaminated soil.
The EDCO MOU is the first step in a process moving toward construction of the approximately 62,000-square-foot facility. Signal Hill City Manager Ken Farfsing said there’s a need for cities to become self-sufficient in terms of refuse in order to have sustainability in trash collection and recycling. “People are always going to have refuse, no matter what the economy does,” Farfsing said.
The benefits of the new facility are numerous, according to the MOU. The agreement and the facility would stabilize trash rates (no increases for three years), would meet some of the city’s recycling goals, and would diversify the Signal Hill tax base which is currently fueled by retail sales tax. It would also develop an extremely blighted and contaminated area. Councilmember Larry Forrester seemed to express the consensus when he said, “Who could consider ‘waste’ beautiful? But in this case, you can.”
The EDCO solid waste transfer facility is also a redevelopment project and, as such, requires the acquisition of properties in the blighted area. Thus, the MOU starts the ball rolling on what city staff estimated to be a six-month process prior to any construction.
In other city council action, a resolution was approved ordering an assessment levy within the Lighting and Landscape Maintenance District 1 in the California Crown neighborhood. A landscaping contract with Valley Crest Landscape, Inc. ends this month. Valley Crest officials indicated that its costs would increase substantially on any new contract and Signal Hill officials went out to bid with the landscaping contract. Proscape Landscape was the low bidder at $28,000. The company, which has been landscaping contractor for Hilltop Park, was selected after a tally of ballots from homeowners in the assessment district. A majority approved the assessment.
At the same meeting, Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency took action. Shober Consulting, Inc. was selected to assist in property acquisitions. There are currently 41 different property owners in six different areas of Signal Hill and negotiations are required in each individual case. Farfsing said former Signal Hill Deputy City Manager Debbie Rich, who now works with Shober Consulting, Inc. will assist in the negotiating agreements.
The next city council meeting will take place July 22, 7 p.m., at the city hall council chambers, 2175 Cherry Avenue.
