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File #: Ord 25-63    Version: 1
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
In control: City Council
Final action: 11/19/2025
Title: Amending Legislative Code Chapter 220 to allow for Garbage Cart Sharing at properties with two or more Dwelling Units beginning January 1, 2026.
Sponsors: Rebecca Noecker
Title

Amending Legislative Code Chapter 220 to allow for Garbage Cart Sharing at properties with two or more Dwelling Units beginning January 1, 2026.

Body

SECTION 1

WHEREAS, in 2018, the City of Saint Paul initiated a system for the collection of solid waste from residential buildings with one (1) to four (4) dwelling units; and

WHEREAS, Section 220.01 of the Legislative Code requires at least one (1) trash cart per Residential Dwelling Unit; and

WHEREAS, residential buildings with four (4) or more attached dwelling units may opt in to participate in garbage collection services; and

WHEREAS, garbage cart sharing between multiple units at the same residential dwelling plot would allow for reduced service cost at properties producing low waste; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby adopt the option for garbage cart sharing at residential buildings with two to four (2-4) who are enrolled in Saint Paul Coordinated Collection.

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:

SECTION 2

Title XXII GARBAGE AND RUBBISH

Chapter 220.

Residential Coordinated Collection

Chapter 221.

Littering by Contractors

Chapter 220. Residential Coordinated Collection

Sec. 220.01. Definitions:

The following words or terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

a.                     Additional service options. Collection services above base level services that may include, but are not limited to: overflow trash bags beyond the contents of the first trash cart, yard waste subscription, yard waste without subscription, bulky waste in excess of bulky base service per calendar year, walk-up service (and over 100-foot walk-up service) for non-eligible RDU, return fee or off-day service fee, cart size change fee, and extra cart fee.

b.                     Base level services. The trash collection and disposal services common to all RDUs, as ...

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Date NameDistrictOpinionCommentAction
11/12/2025 9:45 PMAlisa Lein   Please ensure the dumpster collection fee from FCC is not greater than the private market collection fee. I have called and left 5+ messages with FCC over the last two months asking for dumpster pricing in St. Paul and they never once have returned my calls, even after "expediting my message to a supervisor". So while I am 100% in favor of allowing dumpsters for multifamily, if FCC isn't returning calls, I sure hope the City will allow the free market haulers to continue to pick up dumpsters w/o h***les when a multifamily property wants to use one instead of carts. +4
11/12/2025 9:38 PMAlisa Lein For Hallelujah, multifamily cart sharing and DUMPSTERS!!!! The environmental and ethical and common sense ordinance revision to finally p***. I've been beating this drum since 2017 and am really excited to have the number of carts we all look at reduced in many alleys and to also stop paying to collect air of so many unused garbage carts. +3
11/7/2025 8:00 PMScott Jensen   One more item regarding the cart sharing in c.1.iii; the language specifies "adjacent 2-4 dwelling units with same property owner" for dumpster service. Does that also include any 5+ dwelling units voluntarily enrolled in the program?
11/7/2025 7:49 PMScott Jensen   I am frustrated and disappointed not to see any explicit provision for exempting HOAs like the one I represent from the city trash program. I do see some hope for relief in 220.05 c.1.iii regarding dumpster service, but there is no further information regarding dumpster size, the number of RDA's that can share a dumpster, &c. Would this be determined on a per-case basis? Also, does "property owner" apply to HOAs with common property, or only to rental property landlords? +2
11/7/2025 4:49 AMEric Lein   PLEASE REVISE THIS TEXT: "Adjacent two to four (2-4) dwelling units that have the same property owner may request dumpster service from the city. If the city’s designated contractor city services are unable to provide dumpster service, the property owner may contract with a private hauler with city approval." /// WHY? Owners of adjacent buildings should NOT be required to use the city's designated contractor if that contractor's price is greater than the price to be charged by a private hauler. +8 -1 1
10/17/2025 1:53 AMa resident   The haulers need to prove a lid is more than six inches using a ruler. Absent proof, the resident should be given the benefit of the doubt. An appeal process should be added, too. The haulers have a financial incentive to report overflowing carts.