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A. Location. Required storage areas for solid waste and recyclable materials shall comply with the following standards:

1. The storage area(s) for source-separated recyclable materials in multi-unit residential complexes shall be at the same locations(s) as storage areas for residential mixed solid waste.

2. Indoor and outdoor storage shall comply with city adopted building and uniform fire code requirements.

3. Storage area space requirements can be satisfied with a single location or multiple locations, and can combine both interior and exterior locations. Storage areas shall be no farther than 150 feet from each unit and be easily accessed by users and maintenance personnel.

4. Outdoor storage areas can be located within interior side yard or rear yard areas. Outdoor storage areas shall not be located within a required front yard setback or in a yard adjacent to a public right-of-way or private street easement, except alleys, unless no alternative location is possible. Outdoor storage areas shall not be located in a side or rear yard setback that abuts property that is not within the same development; i.e., impacts of the location on neighboring properties is an important consideration. Every effort should be made to locate outdoor garbage and recycling areas so as to minimize their impacts on neighboring properties. When a single-family home is converted to an office, the business owners are encouraged to continue roll cart garbage service instead of container service to minimize the noise impacts on their neighbors.

5. Exterior storage areas shall address both user safety/security and aesthetic considerations.

6. Exterior storage areas can be located in a parking area if the proposed use provides at least the minimum number of parking spaces required per the requirements of Chapter 20.945 VMC, Parking and Loading, after deducting the area used for storage and access.

7. The storage area shall be accessible for collection vehicles and located so it will not obstruct pedestrian or vehicle traffic movement on the site or on public streets or sidewalks adjacent to the site.

B. Design standards.

1. The dimensions of the storage area shall accommodate containers consistent with current methods of local collection and allow for pedestrian (driver and residents) access between containers. Plans shall show footprints of all intended receptacles using dimensions from city-provided solid waste receptacle standards. The preferred recycling receptacles for resident use are roll carts versus recycling containers. Roll carts are more easily accessed by residents and help to prevent confusion/contamination with garbage.

2. Repealed by Ord. M-4402.

3. Exterior storage areas shall be enclosed by a screen comprised of a sight-obscuring wall, fence and/or vegetation. For multifamily tenant access, a person door, gate, or walkway separate from the service gate or door is required. Service gate(s) for haulers shall be capable of being secured in closed and open positions of 90 degrees or greater.

4. Storage containers shall be clearly labeled to indicate the type of materials accepted.

5. Where electrical connections or engineered structures and surfaces are required to support the utilization of compactors or other storage and handling equipment, these shall be designed according to the applicable codes.

C. Access standards.

1. Access to storage areas can be limited for security reasons. However, the storage area shall be accessible to users at convenient times of the day, and to collection service personnel on the day and approximate time they are scheduled to provide collection service.

2. Storage areas shall be designed to be easily accessible to collection trucks and equipment, considering paving, grade and vehicle access. Where direct truck access to a storage area is not possible, the grade and ramp design shall consider the weights and size of containers that can reasonably and safely be managed for roll-out to an accessible truck loading position. If the collector is expected to move compacted containers larger than two cubic yards, mechanized equipment such as motorized pushcart must be provided for efficient transferring of receptacles and to promote worker safety.

3. Storage areas shall be accessible to collection vehicles without requiring backing out of a driveway onto a public street. If only a single access is available to the storage area, adequate turning radius shall be provided to allow collection vehicles to safely exit the site in a forward motion. All circulation and turnaround designs must meet the requirements of VMC 11.80.070 and the Transportation Standard Details and be feasible using city-provided solid waste truck turning modeling templates and truck specifications. Collection vehicles shall be able to circulate the development and service receptacles with minimal backing required. (Ord. M-4402 § 3(DD), 2023; Ord. M-4147 § 4, 2015; Ord. M-3643, 2004)