(Oct. 8, 2008) -- Amid enthusiastic supportive public testimony, including individual speakers from the Surfrider Foundation/LB, CSULB and area residents, the City Council approved entering into a contract with a private firm (Shoreline Media, LLC) to put advertising-message recycling bins on LB beaches, shoreline, esplanade areas (not including Peninsula) under a revenue-sharing arrangement with City Hall.

Details of the self-sustaining recycling/advertising revenue arrangement (which a company spokesman acknowledged would be its first) were spelled out in a city management memorandum, previously reported by LBReport.com.

Larger bin
3 ft. wide x 4 ft. tall x 8 ft. long, holds (4) 55-gallon cans

Smaller bin
3 ft. wide x 4 ft. tall x 5 ft., 6" long and holds (2) 55-gallon cans

Exhibits from city management agendizing memo

Parks & Rec staff will decide where to place them, and what size to place, "based upon need and use patterns within the permitted areas" within areas indicated in green on the maps below:

Images from city management agendizing memo

City management says the bins were "designed to be seamlessly integrated into the City's current waste removal infrastructure, either as a replacement or to co-exist with the current trash receptacles."

In figures that management says were provided by Shoreline Media, projected revenue sharing for City Hall is estimated as follows "based upon an 80 percent advertising occupancy rate."

CY 09: $123,114 in City revenue;
CY 10: $401,995 in City revenue;
CY 11: $405,670 in City revenue;
CY 12: $443,974 in City revenue;
CY 13: $443,974 in City revenue.

In addition to the ad revenue, City Hall would get a share of the message spaces. The firm agreed "to make available and maintain a panel on each of the B-Bins [smaller size bin] for City-sponsored promotional items for four months per calendar year at no cost to the City . In addition, the City shall receive advanced notice of any unused panels on any of the deployed A-Bins and BBins, and shall have the first right of refusal of the opportunity to post City-sponsored promotional items at its discretion."

Among the testimony presented in support was a written message by Surfrider Foundation Chairman Robert Palmer (read on his behalf by another Surfrider Foundation member), in which Mr. Palmer reiterated his personal views (published earlier in the day on LBReport.com) in support of the program.

The proposal encountered opposition prior to the Council meeting voiced by longtime Belmont Shore resident Melinda Cotton and some other area residents.

Testimony at the Council meeting was strongly supportive of the proposal...and the Council voted to approve the arrangement unanimously (Reyes Uranga absent).

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