Agoura Hills approves 3% solid-waste rate adjustment tied to CPI; council seeks more WM cost transparency

Agoura Hills City Council voted 5–0 Thursday to approve a measured solid-waste rate adjustment package that combines the franchise agreement’s CPI provision (capped at 3%) and a subcommittee-recommended 3% discretionary SWRA where allowed.

Assistant City Manager Ramiro Adeva and consultant Kim Nilsen of Solid Waste Solutions presented Waste Management’s SWRA request and supporting documentation. Adeva explained that the franchise agreement allows a CPI-based increase annually (for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30) and that the discretionary SWRA requires WM to document operational cost increases such as fuel, equipment repairs, landfill tipping fees and processing costs.

WM’s submission included a scenario that would have applied the 2025 rate plus CPI plus the company’s operational cost changes, yielding higher increases (SWS staff summarized the full request as ranging roughly from 3.6% to 8% depending on service level). The Public Works Subcommittee instead recommended an approach consistent with prior councils: apply the CPI (capped at 3%) and then add a 3% SWRA where allowed, limiting near-term household impact.

In a worked example for the most common 64-gallon (level-1) service, staff showed a 2025 base of $29.35. Under WM’s full request the total would have been about $31.69; under the subcommittee’s approach the total would be about $31.14. After applying the most-favored-nation (MFN) clause (which prevents Agoura Hills’ select residential rates from exceeding comparable cities such as Westlake Village and Calabasas), staff estimated about a $1.03 per-month increase for roughly 75% of households.

Council members pressed WM on routing and destination choices (some Agoura Hills waste is taken to Simi Valley Landfill, which is owned by WM but subject to county-controlled gate rates; other loads go to Calabasas). Staff noted a Los Angeles County Sanitation District report from Oct. 2025 estimating Calabasas Landfill had approximately 6–9 years of remaining site life. WM said Calabasas is used more for organics but cannot guarantee consistency or capacity there, and that Simi Valley provides long-term operational capacity.

Janice King, speaking for Waste Management at the meeting, highlighted WM’s local programs and metrics: nearly 283 tons collected through special collection events, 216 At-Your-Door home pickups, and 1,466 residents enrolled in the senior discount program (noting large enrollment increases since 2023).

Council members said they supported the subcommittee’s lower-percentage option to avoid sudden 'sticker shock' for residents while urging WM and staff to deliver a thorough cost comparison (Calabasas vs. Simi Valley gate rates, surcharges and operational rationale) at the next review. Council also reiterated prior conditions requiring focused promotion of the senior discount program and targeted outreach on organics recycling.

Council member Kate Anderson moved and Penny Sylvester seconded the motion to approve staff’s second-option recommendation (CPI capped at 3% plus a 3% SWRA where allowed); the motion passed by a 5–0 roll call vote.

Next steps: WM and staff agreed to provide a more detailed cost comparison of Calabasas vs. Simi Valley gate rates and routing rationale at a future meeting; staff will continue to require outreach on senior discounts and organics education as part of the city’s conditions for approval.