In the rush to start up trash collection in St. Paul by April 1, the base of operations for the city’s new trash hauler opened without flush toilets, and workers are instead using port-a-potties.
The dispatch lot for hauler FCC Environmental Services on 560 Randolph Ave., between W. 7th Street and Shepard Road, has been a lightning rod for neighbors.
The parcel’s hurried path through city zoning approval has been bumpy, with the St. Paul City Council voting to block the hauler’s use of the site in March. FCC Environmental began trash collection from the site on April 1 only after Mayor Melvin Carter declared a state of emergency.
So far, actual collection of household garbage has gone well, with Carter saying in this week’s State of the City speech that fewer than 1% of households complained of missed pickups in the first three weeks of service.
On Thursday, the city’s zoning committee approved details about how FCC will turn what is now a gravel parking lot into a permanent garbage truck storage and dispatch lot with a compressed natural gas fueling station.
FCC’s Greg Revering said the company has designs to improve the site, with plans to plant trees, build sidewalks, add lighting and better manage stormwater.
The company also plans to connect a small office building on the site to sewers. Tia Anderson of the city’s Department of Safety and Inspections, said engineers hired by FCC found that the building is connected to a septic system, but, “that is going to be removed and replaced by a direct sanitary line to the city’s sewers.”
Despite these promises, neighbors were still angry, saying they didn’t feel their worries about truck traffic were registering with city officials.
