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Section 15-61 Commercial service.

(a) The disposal of garbage, refuse and yard debris generated by all facilities other than residential units shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator of such facility, whether individual, corporation or association, subject to the requirement that said owner or operator shall elect to carry out such responsibility by one or a combination of the following methods:

(1) Furnish proof to the City Manager of continuous use of a certified landfill for such disposal by said owner or operator.

(2) Furnish proof to the City Manager of an existing contract by the owner or operator with a licensed solid waste disposaservice which is disposing of the garbage or refuse or trash, any or all, in a certified landfill, and in a manner satisfactory to the City Manager; or

(3) The City of Thomasville has been engaged by the owner or operator, whether individual, corporation or association, to provide waste disposal services for said garbage or refuse or trash, any or all. The city service will provide, upon request, not more than five pickups per normal work week. Any persons or firms receiving such services shall at any time abide by the rules and regulations established by the City Manager, with respect to the type of containers used for the storage of waste, the locations of such containers, the sharing of containers by mutual recipients of the services, the measuring of such waste, the charges imposed therefor, or otherwise.

(4) Such facilities shall clean or provide for cleaning of their containers and areas surrounding containers to maintain them in a sanitary manner. All garbage placed in containers shall first be drained of all liquids, and shall be wrapped, bagged, or enclosed in paper or plastic material. Upon the discovery of a violation of this section, it shall be the duty of the City Manager or his designee to discontinue solid waste service to any customer guilty of the violation until such violation is corrected and any charges connected therewith are paid.

(b) Commercial service shall be comprised of three categories: privately owned containers, city owned multi-user containers, and city owned single-user containers.

(c) There is hereby established and imposed upon each and every firm or person receiving such commercial service a waste disposal charge according to schedules on file at the offices of the City Clerk and the administrative offices of the Utilities Department.

(1) An individual business that generates sufficient refuse to warrant a commercial dumpster may be provided privately owned container service. Each dumpster shall be furnished by the business and the fee for such privately owned container service shall be as established in Schedule I, on file as specified in subparagraph (c) above.

(2) In commercially developed areas where there exists three or more businesses and due to limited space it is impractical for each business to have a commercial container of its own, at the discretion of the City Manager, the City will provide a container to be shared. There is hereby levied a charge as established in Schedule II, on file as specified in subparagraph (c) above.

(3) Small individual businesses that are not in close proximity to a shared container or that do not generate enough refuse to warrant a commercial dumpster may be provided with commercial barrel service, at the discretion of the City Manager. The City shall provide containers (barrels) for use in this type of service. The fee for such service provided to small individual businesses shall be as established in Schedule III, on file as specified in subparagraph (c) above.

(d) The City designates the Thomasville Housing Authority as a residential refuse customer with a special commercial service rate and shall establish a rate for such service exclusive of yard debris collection. The City shall provide containers for such service and charges for the service shall be on file as specified in subparagraph (c) above.

(e) Any family dwelling unit or apartment unit in an apartment complex or housing project, or commercial business where yard debris is deposited at a central location for pickup by City employees, may contract for the separate collection of yard debris with fees based on the area of the improved grounds being maintained. Biweekly pickup of yard debris shall be charged at monthly rates on file as specified in subparagraph (c) above.

(f) The City Utilities department shall act as billing and collection agency for commercial service. All money so collected shall pass directly to the City Treasurer for deposit to the City. The charges shall be billed with other utilities and all billing and collection provisions applicable to other utilities shall apply to commercial service charges. If the commercial service charge becomes delinquent, the Utilities department shall discontinue all utility service until such charges are paid in full.

(g) The City may provide commercial garbage, refuse, and yard debris collection services outside the corporate City limits at rates to be approved by the City Council. Rates for services outside the City limits are on file at the offices of the City Clerk and the administrative offices of the Utilities department.

(Code 1958, 12-7; Ord. of 2-22-88, I(12-7); Ord. of 9-24-90, I(12-7); Ord. of 2-10-92; Ord. of 1-27-93, I; Ord. of 2-28-94, I; Ord. of 1-8-96(2), I; Ord. of 9-9-96, I; Ord. of 12-22-97(2), I; Ord. of 5-11-98, I; Ord. of 3-22-99; Ord. of 1-14-02; Ord of 12-22-04; Ord of 6-21-06)