Paramount City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
118 FACILITIES FOR NONORGANIC RECYCLABLE MATERIALS, ORGANIC WASTE, AND SOLID WASTE
§ 17.118.010 Purpose.
The provisions of this chapter establish standards applicable to receptacles, storage, and facilities for waste in order to protect public health and community aesthetics in accordance with State standards and requirements, as those may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. 1207, 10/28/2025)
§ 17.118.020 Applicability of other code sections.
§ 17.118.030 Residential-Four or fewer housing units per property.
A.
Solid Waste, Nonorganic Recyclables, and Organic Waste Containers.
1.
Containers. All solid waste, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste shall be placed, maintained, and stored in containers provided by the City's solid waste contractor. If the Planning and Building Director or designee determines that a receptacle size is inadequate for the amount of waste generated, the property owner is responsible for promptly securing an adjustment to the levels of service for waste collection with the solid waste contractor.
2.
Container Separation. Designated materials shall be separated and placed in designated black, blue, brown, and green containers in accordance with Section 13.09.020 of the Paramount Municipal Code. Prohibited container contaminants shall not be placed in collection containers.
3.
Container Lid. Each container lid shall be completely closed at all times when the container is not being filled or emptied.
4.
Container Storage. With the exception of the weekly day in which the City's solid waste contractor collects solid waste, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste from a property when stored in a designated container, garbage, waste, refuse, trash, organic waste, and nonorganic recyclable materials and/or containers shall not be stored in the front yard, or in any other place that is visible from a public street. If the physical design of the dwelling does not allow for obscuring containers from public view because of the type of fencing or lack thereof, or lack of an appropriate enclosed area, containers shall be stored in an area adjacent to the dwelling at the point farthest from the closest public street or roadway or in an enclosure adjacent to the dwelling.
5.
Container Maintenance. It shall be the duty of every owner or occupant of any residential dwelling within the City to maintain such containers in a clean condition, free of graffiti and vandalism, at all times.
6.
Containers In Disrepair. If such containers are broken, vandalized, or in unusable condition, the household is responsible to promptly inform the City's solid waste contractor of said condition to ensure that the solid waste contractor can replace the containers in a timely manner to prevent substandard conditions from the improper storage of solid waste, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste.
7.
Container Use. It is unlawful to use any container furnished by a solid waste contractor for any purpose other than the collection, accumulation and storage of waste, or to convert or alter such containers for other uses, or to intentionally damage such containers.
B.
Waste Outdoors. No person(s) shall deposit, maintain, accumulate, dispose of, or allow the deposit, accumulation, maintenance, or any disposal of any garbage, waste, refuse, trash, organic waste, or nonorganic recyclables outside of a building except as authorized in this section. It is the sole responsibility of the person(s) associated with the property to resolve any of the above conditions described in a timely fashion or as determined by the City.
(Ord. 1207, 10/28/2025)
§ 17.118.040 Trash storage facilities-Commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential-Five or more housing units per property.
A.
Enclosure.
1.
Access and Location Requirements.
a.
Distance from Building. There shall be provided and maintained within 100 feet of each building, an enclosure for the purpose of storing garbage, waste, refuse, trash, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste of all persons utilizing said parcel.
b.
Access. Maneuvering areas shall meet the minimum requirements of equivalent size loading area. A turnaround must be provided for any street, driveway, or travel aisle that would otherwise require the collection vehicle to back up a distance greater than 100 feet. A minimum of a 42-foot turning radius is required for solid waste collection vehicles.
c.
Overhead Clearance. Overhead clearance of 20 feet must be provided in front of the enclosure to allow containers to be emptied by the front-end loader collection vehicles.
2.
Enclosure Construction Requirements.
a.
Block Construction. Said enclosure for the purpose of storing garbage, waste, refuse, trash, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste shall have on each side thereof a solid masonry wall constructed of minimum six-inch reinforced block, of not less than six feet in height except for openings.
b.
Openings. All openings shall be equipped with gates or doors which meet the height requirement of this subsection and requirements for durability. Such gates or doors shall be equipped at all times with a fully operating, self-closing device. Gates or doors shall be not less than five feet in height and made of a solid noncombustible material with latches and bolts. The enclosure opening, including gates and hinges, must provide a minimum opening of nine feet to allow containers to be moved in and out of the enclosure. At least one opening or gate or door shall be of sufficient width to provide reasonable and necessary access to the storage area and said opening door or gate shall at all times be located and maintained at such a place and in such fashion that access to the storage area for the deposit and removal of waste, trash, refuse, nonorganic recyclables, organic waste, and garbage is reasonably afforded.
c.
Surface. The floor of an enclosure shall be a concrete pad, flush with the adjacent driveway.
d.
Interior Curb. A six-inch-wide by eight-inch-high concrete curb at the base of interior walls for the protection of walls from containers/bins shall be installed within an enclosure.
e.
Roof. Enclosures shall be constructed with a sloped noncombustible material solid roof, designed to screen the bins and direct rainfall away from the enclosure. An enclosure roof shall be of a noncombustible decorative material and color to complement the design of the primary structure. The enclosure roof shall extend sufficiently outward so that wind-blown rain will not enter the interior of the storage area within an enclosure. A minimum of eight feet of vertical clearance within the storage area shall be provided to allow the container lids to be fully opened and closed inside the trash enclosure. If fire sprinklers or drop lighting are installed within the enclosure, the minimum vertical clearance of eight feet will be measured from the lowest point of the sprinkler heads, lighting, or any other fixture.
f.
Lid. All garbage, waste, refuse, trash, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste stored within such enclosure shall be placed and maintained in a metal bin container, plastic barrel container, or any receptables as assigned by the hauler, with an overlapping fly-tight lid as provided and designated by the City's solid waste contractor. The lid shall be secured in place at all times when the container is not being filled or emptied.
g.
Structural and Accessibility Review. Structural and accessibility details for an enclosure shall be reviewed by the Building and Safety Division for possible approval.
3.
Containers.
a.
Container Contents. Designated materials shall be separated and placed in designated containers in accordance with Section 13.09.020. In addition to or in place of storage in designated black, blue, brown, and green barrel containers; garbage, waste, refuse, trash, and nonorganic recyclables may be stored in metal bins equipped with wheels as provided and designated by the City's solid waste contractor. All garbage, waste, refuse, trash, and nonorganic recyclables designated to be contained in such bins shall be maintained within the interior of said metal bins. The bins shall be equipped with a lid which shall be completely closed at all times except when being filled or emptied. Prohibited container contaminants shall not be placed in collection containers.
b.
Container Location. All of said aforementioned containers, including bins and barrels, shall be kept and maintained within the walls of said enclosure except when being emptied by a collector.
c.
Containers in Disrepair. If such containers are broken, vandalized, or in unusable condition, the container user or property owner is responsible to inform the City's solid waste contractor of said condition to ensure that the solid waste contractor can replace the containers in a timely manner to prevent substandard conditions from the improper storage of solid waste, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste.
d.
Container Use. It is unlawful to use any container furnished by a solid waste contractor for any purpose other than the collection, accumulation and storage of waste, or to convert or alter such containers for other uses, or to intentionally damage such containers.
4.
Enclosure Area. Enclosures shall provide sufficient space for adequate capacity, number and distribution of solid waste, nonorganic recyclables, and organics containers to serve a development or use. The developer, property owner, or business owner associated with the property is responsible for contacting the City's solid waste contractor to review the specific service level needs for a development or use. If at any time it is determined by the City or the City's solid waste contractor that the established service levels are no longer adequate for the generation of any waste stream onsite, it is the responsibility of the person(s) and/or business associated with the property to establish an adjustment to service levels with the City's solid waste contractor.
5.
Enclosure Landscape Screening. Following separate Planning Division review and approval, landscaping (with appropriate irrigation) shall be utilized to screen the trash enclosure on all sides visible from a public right-of-way or parking lot. The landscaping shall consist of hedges or vines to be maintained between four and five feet high.
6.
Existing Enclosure Expansion. If the required expansion of any existing enclosure for garbage, waste, refuse, trash, nonorganic recyclables, and organic waste requires the removal of one parking space beyond the minimum parking space requirement under Chapter 17.44, and/or the equivalent area of a landscaped planter that is not within the required front setback of a property, it may be granted following Planning and Building Department review of an Administrative Permit application. Proposed enclosure expansion area materials, including wall/screening materials and surface, and precise location, dimensions, and floor area shall be submitted with the Administrative Permit application for Planning and Building Department consideration. Approval criteria are based on the proposed expansion location in regard to the surroundings and the specific storage requirements of a business and/or property.
7.
Maintenance. All enclosures, containers/bins, and adjacent paving shall be maintained in good, clean condition. Graffiti and vandalism shall be promptly removed and repaired as needed. Chipped or faded paint and rusted metal shall be repainted to result in a consistent as-new paint color on the subject surface. Changes in paint color shall be submitted to the Planning Division for review and possible approval. Irrigation serving vines or other plants upon or adjacent to an enclosure shall be maintained in working condition without leaks or loss of pressure. Vines or other plants upon or adjacent to an enclosure shall be maintained in a thriving and orderly condition.
B.
Waste Outdoors. No person(s) shall deposit, maintain, accumulate, dispose of, or allow the deposit, maintenance, accumulation, or disposal of any garbage, waste, refuse, trash, organic waste, or nonorganic recyclables outside of a building except as authorized in this section. It is the sole responsibility of the person(s) associated with the property to resolve any of the above conditions described in a timely fashion or as determined by the City.
(Ord. 1207, 10/28/2025)