Item 4: Ordinance on Suspension of Paper Bag Pass-Through Charge

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Public Hearing: An Ordinance Concerning Suspension of Paper Bag Pass-Through Charge in Section 6.860 of the Eugene Code, 1971; and Providing a Sunset Date Meeting Date: June 10, 2013 Agenda Item Number: 4 Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Stephanie Scafa www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5652 ISSUE STATEMENT Section 6.860 of the Eugene Code, 1971, requires that a retail establishment offering a recyclable paper bag to a customer at the point of sale, charge the customer not less than five cents per bag and that the fee charged be indicated on the customer’s receipt. On May 13, 2013, the City Council voted to reevaluate the paper bag pass-through fee and bring back an ordinance to suspend the five-cent-per-bag charge during the reevaluation period. BACKGROUND and RELATED CITY POLICIES The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 20498, encouraging the use of reusable bags by banning single-use plastic carryout bags and requiring a five cent fee for carry-out, recycled paper bags, on October 22, 2012. The ordinance went into effect on May 1, 2013. Discussion Eugene is one of the over 90 cities nationwide and three within Oregon, that have adopted a ban on single-use carryout plastic bags. With regard to the use of a five cent fee in Oregon, Portland does not require a five cent pass-through fee on paper bags, while Corvallis does require the charge. Currently, the Corvallis City Council is considering an update to its ordinance that would require the five cent charge be applied only to large grocery-style bags. Public Comment This public hearing provides a forum before the Mayor and City Council regarding the proposed ordinance to suspend the five cent fee (Attachment A). Additional comments submitted to the City between May 1 and May 29, 2013, are included as Attachment B. TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE – SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC IMPACTS The staff analysis from the February 27, 2012, City Council work session provided overviews of the assumed environmental, social, and economic impacts of the proposed ordinance. Prior to ordinance adoption, City staff developed the “Bring Your Bag” outreach and education campaign, which continues to offer assistance to Eugene retailers on an as-needed basis. The objective of the S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130610\S1306104.doc