City council voted to move garbage pickup from suited properties in Channelside from the front street to the back lane, Feb. 19.
The change, which will affect 72 properties with suites above their garages, will be effective on March 28.
The decision was motivated by a discussion during a council meeting last fall about excess garbage being stored in the community. The excess garbage may be partly due to the two-bag limit in the community and the inconvenience of carrying bags from the above garage suites to the front of the property, according to Deputy Mayor Ron Chapman.
“It’s a good move to pick it up in the alley,” said Chapman. “It gets the garbage off the street. Hopefully, more people will purchase the (over-limit garbage) tags and recycle.”
Last fall, City staff sent surveys to 85 suited-property owners in Channelside and Silver Creek to determine their preference for pickup location and whether they would be willing to pay extra for more garbage bags.
Thirty-four Channelside residents responded to the survey with 53 per cent supporting a switch to back land pickup and 80 per cent against paying an additional fees for collection of more garbage bags.
In Silver Creek, staff received a 53 per cent response, with 72 per cent indicating they would not support an additional fee.
Aldermen unanimously voted to maintain the status quo when it comes to the current two-bag limit and to change the collection location in Channelside.
Council also discussed the use of Airdrie’s Waste Transfer Site, located west of the city, by small businesses, voting to maintain the current practices and not allow them to use the facility to dispose of waste.
According to a staff report, the waste transfer site is funded through fees paid for by Airdrie residents. In January, City staff sent an electronic survey to 536 commercial and industrial businesses to measure their interest in using the site.
Only 58 businesses responded, with 21 per cent indicating they would like to use the facility, 64 per cent saying they have no need for it and 15 per cent choosing not to respond.
According to Susan Grimm, team leader for Airdrie’s waste and recycling services department, businesses can take drywall, concrete, wood and asphalt shingles to a private recycling company that operates on the site.
She added allowing businesses to use the facility could result in the need for increased staff, increased traffic and congestion and large volumes of waste.
