Hollister City Council discusses single-use plastic ordinance

Lea este artículo en español aquí.

The Hollister City Council is considering an ordinance to reduce single-use plastics. To ease the financial burden on restaurants and other impacted businesses, the proposed ordinance would be implemented in three phases. The city is expected to consider the draft ordinance in 2025.

The first phase requires businesses to use paper bags or have consumers use reusable bags. The second phase aims to reduce the use of single-use cups by encouraging businesses to offer reusable options or have customers bring their own cups. The last phase requires that restaurants serve food with reusable plates and silverware for dine-in guests and that fiber-based compostable foodware is used for to-go services.

Public Works Director William Via said at the meeting that staff is waiting on the state to provide a model ordinance before presenting a draft to the council. He said they expect the state to provide that in January.

Monica Abonce, recycling coordinator for Integrated Waste Management, said options to include in the ordinance are financial assistance to businesses, exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Businesses may be required to comply with the ordinance to obtain licenses and building permits. 

“These considerations we put together after the research and we feel [they are] the best practices throughout the states,” she said. “We feel they make implementing these changes easier for businesses.”

Catherine Ramirez, Integrated Waste Management analyst, said enforcement would focus on education rather than fines. 

Abonce, who brought the ordinance idea forward in 2021 as a result of her CAPSTONE college project, said the ordinance would align with the goal put forward in California Senate Bill 54, which became law in 2022. The plan is to have 30% of packaging and single-use plastic foodware recyclable or compostable by 2028, 40% by 2030 and 100% 2032. The proposed law would also align with the city’s draft general plan 2040 to adopt a reusable foodware ordinance.

The general plan serves as the city’s blueprint for growth and is scheduled for consideration for adoption by the Hollister Planning Commission on Oct. 24.

Abonce said as part of her research, business owners were surveyed and she found they are in favor of such an ordinance. She added studies conducted by other jurisdictions have found such an ordinance can be cost-saving despite having an upfront cost. 

To support businesses in the transition, Abonce said, Integrated Waste Management would provide technical assistance and education, and also develop signage. Ramirez said she provides support at events by educating vendors about the ordinance.

“We’ve had really good compliance with that,” Ramirez said. 

San Juan Bautista has had a similar ordinance in place since 2020, though it was delayed because of COVID and implemented in 2021.

Councilmember Dolores Morales said she supports the goals, but wanted a full analysis that also included the additional cost of staff labor when dealing with reusable foodware. 

“The vision and want is there from everybody,” she said. “It’s when it comes up to the implementation that things don’t go the way policymakers want it to go.” 

Council approves consideration of JPA

The City Council unanimously approved allowing its members of the Fire Protection Advisory Committee to discuss forming a Joint Powers Authority to oversee a fire district feasibility study. Members of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors and San Juan Bautista City Council make up the committee. 

A JPA is formed by two or more public agencies when working on a common project. If formed, this JPA would oversee a study to define the cost of fire protection to San Juan Bautista, Hollister and the unincorporated county. Currently, San Juan Bautista and the county contract for fire services with Hollister.