THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 6, 1995 TAG: 9502060070
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
The city wants to end daily commercial trash hauls in the resort strip beginning March 1, a move sure to create a big stink - one way or another - Oceanfront merchants say.
The issue will come before the City Council on Tuesday, three months before warmer weather and crowds of tourists will arrive at the beachfront.
And the prospect of leaving trash pickups to private haulers has nervous Oceanfront leaders offering to pay extra to have the city do it.
``They're providing a quality service that we're pleased with,'' said motel operator Rick Anoia, chairman of the Resort Leadership Council, an umbrella lobbying group representing a cross-section of Oceanfront businesses. ``I have been adamant about accepting (paying for) the whole thing in order to get the trash pickup continued.''
Anoia and other business representatives fear that daily service will drop to once- or twice-weekly pickups and that smelly, unsightly trash bins will proliferate in a tourist mecca in which the city already has invested $63 million to beautify.
Many merchants use trash cans and the same curbside containers provided by the city to residents.
``It's a real concern at the Oceanfront . . . because of impressions,'' he said. ``You can't have trash, garbage, Dumpsters, smell, stink and liquid all up and down the street. That's a negative message that we're sending out to the guests of Virginia Beach.''
Wayne Smith, new president of the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, echoed Anoia's sentiments.
``We hope they change their mind,'' he said. ``We're afraid there is going to be a degradation of service.''
Mary Pat Fortier, executive director of the Virginia Beach Hotel and Motel Association, said members of her organization are seeking a reprieve from the city. ``We're hoping at this stage they will agree to keep the city in the (trash pickup) business for the sake of the investment and the unique economic identity of the area,'' she said.
``I don't think there are objections to paying more, but most business owners feel that they are paying more than the average business for the same services.''
The city now hauls trash from 190 of the resort area's businesses, seven days a week in the summer. The service is reduced to four days a week in the winter. Hotels, restaurants and shops are charged fees based on the number of trash containers to be emptied.
Public Works Director Ralph Smith is placing three options before the council Tuesday.
``We're asking the council what they want to do,'' he said.
The first option would allow the city to discontinue commercial trash hauls in the resort March 1, as planned.
The second would allow the city to offer one private company a franchise to haul trash from the Oceanfront.
The third would allow the city to continue its daily trash pickups and bill resort businesses for the full cost - $200,000 for the first year; $426,000 for the second year and up to $1.3 million for expanding service to all businesses in the resort district.
Some merchants have already opted for private trash service and are exempt from the city fees.
The going rate for the city to empty a maximum of six trash cans is $300 per month, while the charge for a single can is $50. If the city agrees to let resort businesses pay for continued service, these rates would rise to $495 and $165 respectively.
Not all resort business operators are happy with the prospect of paying more to have the city haul away their refuse.
``I know it's a major concern for the city, but you can't keep squeezing the little guy,'' said Rick Kowalawitch, owner of a small surf shop.
``It's gone from a free service to one you have to pay for. Next it's going to be the residents who're going to have to pay.'' ILLUSTRATION: DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH/Staff
Many Oceanfront merchants fear that their trash cans, emptied daily
in the summer, will be replaced with smelly, unsightly Dumpsters
emptied only once or twice a week.
KEYWORDS: TRASH GARBAGE OCEANFRONT by CNB