Susanville City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
124 RECYCLING
§ 17.124.010 Definitions.
The following terms and accompanying definitions shall apply to this chapter.
means reusable material, including, but not limited to, metals, glass, plastic and paper, which are intended for reuse, remanufacture or reconstitution for the purpose of using the altered form. Recyclable material does not include refuse or hazardous materials. Recyclable material may include used motor oil collected and transported in accordance with Sections 25250.11 and 25143.2(b)(4) of the California Health and Safety Code, and any subsequent amendment thereto.
means a center for the collection and/or processing of recyclable materials. A certified recycling facility or certified processing facility means a recycling facility certified by the California Department of Conservation as meeting the requirements of the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act of 1986 and any subsequent amendment thereto. A recycling facility does not include storage containers or processing activity located on the premises of a residential, commercial or manufacturing use and used solely for the recycling of material generated by that residential property, business or manufacturer. Recycling facilities may include the following:
A center for the acceptance by donation, redemption or purchase, of recyclable materials from the public. Such a facility does not use power-driven processing equipment except as indicated in Section 17.124.040 herein. Collection facilities may include the following:
Reverse vending machine(s);
Small collection facilities which occupy an area of not more than 500 square feet, and may include:
Large collection facilities which may occupy an area of more than 500 square feet and may include permanent structures.
A building or enclosed space used for the collection and processing of recyclable materials.
means the preparation of material for efficient shipment, or to an end-user's specifications, by such means as baling, briquetting, compacting, flattening, grinding, crushing, mechanical sorting, shredding, cleaning and remanufacturing. Processing facilities include the following:
A light processing facility occupies an area of under 45,000 square feet of gross collection, processing and storage area and has up to an average of two outbound truck shipments per day. Light processing facilities are limited to baling, briquetting, compacting, grinding, shredding and sorting of source-separated recyclable materials and repairing of reusable materials sufficient to qualify as a certified processing facility. A light processing facility shall not shred, compact or bale ferrous metals other than food and beverage containers;
A heavy processing facility is any processing facility other than a light processing facility.
means an automated mechanical device which accepts at least one or more types of empty beverage containers, including but not limited to aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, and issues a cash refund or a redeemable credit slip with a value not less than the container's redemption value as determined by the state. A reverse vending machine may sort and process containers mechanically, provided that the entire process is enclosed within the machine. In order to accept and temporarily store all three container types in a proportion commensurate with their relative redemption rates, and to meet the requirements of certification as a recycling facility, multiple grouping of reverse vending machines may be necessary.
A bulk reverse vending machine is a reverse vending machine that is larger than 50 square feet; is designed to accept more than one container at a time; and will pay by weight instead of by container. |
means an automobile, truck, trailer or van, licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles which is used for the collection of recyclable materials. A mobile recycling unit also means the bins, boxes or containers transported by trucks, vans or trailers, and used for the collection of recyclable materials.
(Zoning ordinance § 14.1; amended during 12-00 supplementation; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)
§ 17.124.020 Permits required.
No person shall permit the placement, construction or operation of any recycling facility without first obtaining a permit pursuant to the provisions set forth in this chapter and in regulations adopted by resolution of the city council. Recycling facilities may be allowed as set forth in the following table.
Types of Facility | Zones Allowed | Permits Required |
|---|---|---|
Reverse vending machines | C-1, C-2, C-M, M-L M, P-F | Administrative |
Small collection | C-1, C-2, C-M, M, P-F | Administrative |
Large collection | C-1 | Conditional use |
C-2,C-M, M-L, M, P-F | Administrative | |
Light processing | C-2, C-M, M-L, M, P-F | Conditional use |
Heavy processing | C-M. M-L, M | Conditional use |
In addition to the permits described in the above table, a reverse vending machine(s) or a small collection facility may also be allowed in special zones which allow uses permitted in commercial or industrial zones with an administrative permit; and a large collection facility or processing facility may be allowed in agricultural zones with a conditional use permit.
(Zoning ordinance § 14.2; amended during 12-00 supplementation; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)
§ 17.124.030 Permits for multiple sites.
A single administrative permit may be granted to allow more than one reverse vending machine(s) on different sites under the following conditions:
The operator of each of the proposed facilities is the same;
The proposed facilities are determined by the community development director to be similar in nature, size and intensity of activity; and
All of the applicable criteria and standards set forth in Section 17.124.040 are met for each proposed facility.
(Zoning ordinance § 14.3; amended during 12-00 supplementation; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)
§ 17.124.040 Criteria and standards.
Those recycling facilities permitted with an administrative permit shall meet all of the applicable criteria and standards listed. Those recycling facilities permitted with a conditional use permit shall meet the applicable following criteria and standards, provided that the planning commission may impose stricter standards as an exercise of discretion upon a finding that they are reasonably necessary in order to implement the general intent of this section and the purposes of this chapter.
Reverse vending machine(s) located within a commercial structure do not require additional parking spaces for recycling customers and are allowed in accordance with Section 17.124.020, provided that they comply with the following standards:
Shall be established in conjunction with a commercial use or community service facility which is in compliance with the zoning, building and fire codes of the city;
Shall be located within 30 feet of the entrance to the commercial structure and shall not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular circulation;
Shall not occupy parking spaces required by the primary use;
Shall occupy no more than 50 square feet of floor space per installation, including any protective enclosure, and shall be no more than eight feet in height;
Shall be constructed and maintained with durable waterproof and rustproof material;
Shall be clearly marked to identify the types of material to be deposited, operating instructions, and the identity and phone number of the operator or responsible person to call if the machine is inoperative;
Shall have a sign area of a maximum of four square feet per machine, exclusive of operating instructions;
Shall be maintained in a clean, litter-free condition on a daily basis;
Operating hours shall be at least the operating hours of the host use;
Shall be illuminated to ensure comfortable and safe operation if operating hours are between dusk and dawn.
Small collection facilities may be sited in accordance with Section 17.124.020, provided they comply with the following conditions:
Shall be established in conjunction with an existing commercial use or community service facility which is in compliance with the zoning, building and fire codes of the city;
Shall be no larger than 500 square feet and occupy no more than five parking spaces not including space that will be periodically needed for removal of materials or exchange of containers;
Shall be set back at least 10 feet from any street line and shall not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular circulation;
Shall accept only glass, metals, plastic containers, papers and reusable items. Used motor oil may be accepted with permission of the local public health official;
Shall use no power-driven processing equipment except for reverse vending machines;
Shall use containers that are constructed and maintained with durable waterproof and rustproof material, covered when site is not attended, secured from unauthorized entry or removal of material, and shall be of a capacity sufficient to accommodate materials collected and collection schedule;
Shall store all recyclable materials in containers or in the mobile unit vehicle, and shall not leave materials outside of containers when attendant is not present;
Shall be maintained free of litter and any other undesirable materials, and mobile facilities, at which truck containers are removed at the end of each collection day, shall be swept at the end of each collection day;
Shall not exceed noise levels of 60 dBA as measured at the property line of residentially zoned or occupied property, otherwise shall not exceed 70 dBA;
Attended facilities located within 100 feet of a property zoned or occupied for residential use shall operate only during the hours between nine a.m. and seven p.m.;
Containers for the 24 hour donation of materials shall be at least 30 feet from any property zoned or occupied for residential use unless there is a recognized service corridor and acoustical shielding between the containers and the residential use;
Containers shall be clearly marked so as to identify the type of material which may be deposited; the facility shall be clearly marked to identify the name and telephone number of the facility operator and the hours of operation, and display a notice stating that no material shall be left outside the recycling enclosure or containers;
Signs may be provided as follows:
Recycling facilities may have identification signs with a maximum of 20% per side or 16 square feet, whichever is larger, in addition to information signs required in subsection (B)(12) of this section; in the case of a wheeled facility, the side will be measured from the pavement to the top of the container,
Signs must be consistent with the character of the location,
Directional signs, bearing no advertising message, may be installed with the approval of the community development director to facilitate traffic circulation, or if the facility is not visible from the public right-of-way,
The community development director may authorize increases in the number and size of signs upon findings that it is compatible with adjacent businesses;
The facility shall not impair the landscaping required by local ordinances for any concurrent use by this chapter or any permit issued pursuant thereto;
No additional parking spaces will be required for customers of a small collection facility located at the established parking lot of a host use. One space will be provided for the attendant, if needed;
Mobile recycling units shall have an area clearly marked to prohibit other vehicular parking during hours when the mobile unit is scheduled to be present;
Occupation of parking spaces by the facility and by the attendant may not reduce available parking spaces below the minimum number required for the primary host use unless all of the following conditions exist:
The facility is located in a convenience zone or a potential convenience zone as designated by the California Department of Conservation,
A parking study shows that existing parking capacity is not already fully utilized during the time the recycling facility will be on the site,
The permit will be reconsidered at the end of 18 months.
A reduction in available parking spaces in an established parking facility may then be allowed as follows: |
For a commercial host use: |
Number of Available Parking Spaces | Maximum Reduction |
|---|---|
*0—25 | 0 |
26—35 | 2 |
36—49 | 3 |
50—99 | 4 |
100+ | 5 |
A maximum five spaces reduction will be allowed for a community facility host use when not in conflict with parking needs of the host use; |
If the permit expires without renewal, the collection facility shall be removed from the site on the day following permit expiration.
Large collection facility(ies) is one that is larger than 500 square feet, or is on a separate property not appurtenant to a host use, and which may have a permanent building. A large collection facility is allowed in accordance with Section 17.124.020, provided the facility meets the following standards:
Facility does not abut a property zoned or planned for residential use;
Facility will be screened from the public right-of-way by operating in an enclosed building or:
Setbacks and landscape requirements shall be those provided for the zoning district in which the facility is located;
All exterior storage of material shall be in sturdy containers which are covered, secured and maintained in good condition. Storage containers for flammable material shall be constructed of nonflammable material. Oil storage must be in containers approved by the fire chief. No storage, excluding truck trailers and overseas containers, will be visible above the height of the fencing;
Site shall be maintained free of litter and any other undesirable materials, and will be cleaned of loose debris on a daily basis;
Space will be provided on site for six vehicles or the anticipated peak customer load, whichever is higher, to circulate and to deposit recyclable materials, except where the planner determines that allowing overflow traffic above six vehicles is compatible with surrounding businesses and public safety;
One parking space will be provided for each commercial vehicle operated by the recycling facility. Parking requirements will be as provided for in the zone, except that parking requirements for employees may be reduced when it can be shown that parking spaces are not necessary, such as when employees are transported in a company vehicle to a work facility;
Noise levels shall not exceed 60 dBA as measured at the property line of residentially zoned property, or otherwise shall not exceed 70 dBA;
If the facility is located within 500 feet of property zoned, planned or occupied for residential use, it shall not be in operation between seven p.m. and seven a.m.;
Any containers provided for after-hours donation of recyclable materials will be at least 50 feet from any property zoned or occupied for residential use, shall be of sturdy, rustproof construction, shall have sufficient capacity to accommodate materials collected, and shall be secure from unauthorized entry or removal of materials;
Donation areas will be kept free of litter and any other undesirable material, and the containers will be clearly marked to identify the type of material that may be deposited; facility shall display a notice stating that no material shall be left outside the recycling containers;
Facility will be clearly marked with the name and phone number of the facility operator and the hours of operation; identification and informational signs will meet standards of the zone; and directional signs, bearing no advertising message, may be installed with the approval of the planner, if necessary, to facilitate traffic circulation or if the facility is not visible from the public right-of-way;
Power-driven processing, including aluminum foil and can compacting, baling, plastic shredding, or other light processing activities necessary for efficient temporary storage and shipment of material, may be approved through a conditional use permit process or at the discretion of the planner if noise and other conditions are met.
Processing Facilities. A light or heavy processing facility is allowed in accordance with Section 17.124.020, provided that they comply with the following standards:
Facility does not abut a property zoned or planned for residential use;
In a commercial or light manufacturing zone, processing facilities will operate in a wholly enclosed building except for incidental storage, or:
Power-driven processing shall be permitted, provided all noise level requirements are met. Light processing facilities are limited to baling, briquetting, crushing, compacting, grinding, shredding and sorting of source-separated recyclable materials and repairing of reusable materials;
A light processing facility shall be no larger than 45,000 square feet and shall have no more than an average of two outbound truck shipments of material per day and may not shred, compact or bale ferrous metals other than food and beverage containers;
A processing facility may accept used motor oil for recycling from the generator in accordance with Section 25250.11 of the California Health and Safety Code and any subsequent amendments thereto;
Setbacks and landscaping requirements shall be those provided for the zoning district in which the facility is located;
All exterior storage of material shall be in sturdy containers or enclosures which are covered, secured and maintained in good condition. Storage containers for flammable material shall be constructed of nonflammable material. Oil storage must be in containers approved by the fire chief. No storage excluding truck trailers and overseas containers will be visible above the height of the fencing;
Site shall be maintained free of litter and any other undesirable materials and will be cleaned of loose debris on a daily basis and will be secured from unauthorized entry and removal of materials when attendants are not present;
Space shall be provided on-site for the anticipated peak load of customers to circulate, park and deposit recyclable materials. If the facility is open to the public, space will be provided for a minimum of 10 customers or the peak load, whichever is higher, except where the community development director determines that allowing overflow traffic is compatible with surrounding businesses and public safety;
One parking space will be provided for each commercial vehicle operated by the processing facility. Parking requirements will otherwise be as mandated by the zone in which the facility is located;
Noise levels shall not exceed 60 dBA as measured at the property line of residentially zoned or occupied property, or otherwise shall not exceed 70 dBA;
If the facility is located within 500 feet of property zoned or planned for residential use, it shall not be in operation between seven p.m. and seven a.m. The facility will be administered by on-site personnel during the hours the facility is open;
Any containers provided for after-hours donation of recyclable materials will be at least 50 feet from any property zoned or occupied for residential use; shall be of sturdy, rustproof construction; shall have sufficient capacity to accommodate materials collected; and shall be secure from unauthorized entry or removal of materials;
Donation areas shall be kept free of litter and any other undesirable material. The containers shall be clearly marked to identify the type of material that may be deposited. Facility shall display a notice stating that no material shall be left outside the recycling containers;
Sign requirements shall be those provided for the zoning district in which the facility is located. In addition, facility will be clearly marked with the name and phone number of the facility operator and the hours of operation;
No dust, fumes, smoke, vibration or odor above ambient level may be detectable on neighboring properties.
(Zoning ordinance § 14.4; amended during 12-00 supplementation; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)
§ 17.124.050 Allowed uses.
Title 17 listing allowed uses in commercial, industrial and any other applicable zones is amended to add recycling facilities as defined in this chapter.
(Zoning ordinance § 14.5; amended during 12-00 supplementation; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)