Garden Grove Sanitary District

The county Local Agency Formation Commission plans to decide in August the fate of the Garden Grove Sanitary District, which is in the middle of a fight over who will control sewers and trash in Garden Grove. Some city officials are proposing to take over the district, calling it "inefficient" and an "unnecessary layer of government."

Officials built a baseball field on a landfill here two decades ago, but the unstable ground kept shifting, so much that eventually the batters could barely see the brim of the left fielder's cap and the trip from home to first was an uphill climb. Now the city and developer Rick Hanson think they have found a better use for the site: a $1.5-million golf practice center that opened this month, complete with a driving range, sand bunkers, putting greens, a pro shop and professional instructors.

A county agency could decide tonight the fate of the Garden Grove Sanitary District, which is wrestling with the city over who will be in charge of trash collection and sewage systems. City officials are proposing to take over the 72-year-old sanitary district, arguing that it is inefficient and an unnecessary layer of government.

The City Council will hold a special session at 7 p.m. today to discuss details of the merger between the Garden Grove Sanitary District and the city. Members of the Midway City Sanitary District and the council will discuss details of sanitary services. About 200 homes that were serviced by the Garden Grove Sanitary District will now be under Midway City's jurisdiction. The session will be in the Community Meeting Center, 11300 Stanford Ave. Information: (714) 741-5100.

The Garden Grove Sanitary District will give away gardening compost Saturday at Garden Grove High School's student parking lot, Stanford Avenue and 7th Street. Residents may pick up the compost between 9 a.m. and noon, or until the supply runs out. Those taking advantage of the offer should bring their own containers. There is a limit of 60 gallons of free compost for each household on a first-come, first-served basis.

City officials are asking residents to help save landfill space by recycling old telephone directories instead of throwing them away. Pacific Bell Directory recently launched a recycling program with the Garden Grove Sanitary District and the Midway City Sanitary District. Denise Landstedt of the city's Public Services Department said the Garden Grove Sanitary District has agreed to pick up discarded telephone directories that residents place on the curb with other recyclable materials.

Trash fees will climb to $12.30 a month for most residents starting today. Residents, however, will not officially learn about the $1.08 increase until bills arrive later this week because sanitary district officials plan to save the $8,000 it would cost to mail notices. Garden Grove Sanitary District General Manager Ronald Cates said the trash collection fee is rising 9.63% because the state has appropriated some property tax revenue special districts had received.

Taormina Industries, a trash hauling company, will collect and recycle Christmas trees in the seven cities the company serves between Dec. 26 and Jan. 7. Residents of Anaheim, Brea, Placentia, Yorba Linda, Villa Park and the Garden Grove Sanitary District may leave their Christmas trees for curbside collection. All types and sizes will be accepted, including flocked trees. Tree stands, decorations and tinsel must be removed. Trees that are more than six feet tall must be cut in half.