Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (April 22) took the first step in what could result in a local-government takeover of trash-collection services across single-family neighborhoods in the county.
Supervisors voted 9-1 to advertise, for a June 24 public hearing, a plan that would start the clock running on a five-year waiting period before the county government could create a unified, countywide trash-collection district.
Some county residents already have their trash and recyclables collected by the county government, although most rely on private contractors. Making a switch would increase those served by the county government about 660%, according to estimates.
Detached single-family homes and townhouses could be affected by a change. Condominiums, apartments and commercial properties “at this time” are not being considered for incorporation, county staff say.
Supervisors and staff said Tuesday’s vote to hold a public hearing was the start of a lengthy process with no pre-ordained outcome.
“This is not a trigger,” Board Chairman Jeff McKay said. “It is not like this is going to happen any time soon.”
State law requires the minimum five-year waiting period before private haulers would be displaced or brought into county-government operations.
If that clock begins with a vote in June, supervisors would not be required to take over operations, but would have the opportunity to do so. Having that ability might be a way for the county government to encourage existing trash haulers to improve practices, several supervisors suggested.
While current private trash-hauling services in the county is “pretty good,” it has not always been that way, Braddock Supervisor James Walkinshaw said.
“The quality goes up, the quality goes down,” he said.
Moving to a government-run service would not necessarily shut out private contractors, as some likely would be able to provide services under a government contract.
Only about 10% of county residents currently have trash collected through the Fairfax government, most in the easternmost portion of the county. Those areas previously petitioned the county government for the inclusion of sanitary districts.
For other areas, a total of 21 haulers have been certified to service Fairfax neighborhoods.
The Board’s lone Republican, Springfield District Pat Herrity, voted against holding the hearing. He said he was concerned about the lack of specifics.
“What is the driving purpose?” Herrity asked.
County Executive Bryan Hill said options would be fleshed out if the proposal moved forward.
“We don’t have a plan yet. This is just starting the process,” Hill said.
Herrity was the only Board member to oppose advertising the public hearing, but he was not the only one to offer cautionary remarks to staff.
Dranesville Supervisor Jimmy Bierman said he would support the advertisement, but pushed staff to be ready with answers to a wide range of questions at the public hearing.
“There are a lot of questions out there. Lots of us have questions,” he said.
“I have a lot of questions, too,” said Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn. But, he added, considering a trash takeover “is an opportunity to make the system better.”
Fairfax’s eastern neighbors, Arlington and Falls Church, already mandate that homeowners in single-family neighborhoods use government-run (but contractor-operated) trash collection.
Arlington charges an annual fee to each property owner, while Falls Church includes the cost of trash service in its General Fund. But the City Council there is considering moving to a fee-for-service model comparable to the one in place in Arlington.
