On Tuesday, June 22 2021, the Vista City Council will consider a draft plastic pollution reduction ordinance. Please add your voice to ours and let the City Council know that you support real action against plastic pollution in Vista! If you are NOT a Vista resident but know someone who is, please share this post with them.
There are two ways you can support the ordinance - either in person at the City Council meeting (there will be no ZOOM option), or by submitting a written comment to the council by 2:00pm on Tuesday, June 22.
submit written comment by 2pm, tuesday 6/22
While a personalized email is always preferred, feel free to use our template email if you're short on time. Please add that you're a Vista resident if that is the case, and feel free to customize as you see fit.
To submit written comments, please email PublicComments@cityofvista.com, and write "C10 Single Use Plastics” in the subject line. Oral comments can also be submitted in advance by leaving a message at 760-643-2815. Please include your name and the spelling and state that you are commenting on "C10 Single Use Plastics.”
Comments received by 2:00 pm on the day of the meeting will be emailed (voice messages will be summarized) to the City Council members and will be added to the packet. Comments submitted via email or voicemail will not be read aloud during the meeting.
in-person instructions
If you are a Vista resident or live nearby, please consider coming to the meeting in person if you are comfortble doing so. The meeting starts at 5:30pm.
You will need to complete a speaker slip, which should be available at the door, and give it to the Clerk/Secretary. Be sure to include "C10 Single Use Plastics” on the slip. Speakers are usually given three minutes, but the City Council can limit the length of time allotted so be prepared for keeping comments to 2 minutes, if required. Please email Janis@surfridersd.org if you have any questions or would like support.
General Tips for Commenting on City Council Agenda Items can be found HERE, and Single-Use Plastics Fact Sheets are available HERE.
background on the ordinance
On Tuesday, January 12 2021, our North County RAP Volunteer Lead, Janis Jones, and Oceana SoCal Campaign Organizer, Brady Bradshaw, gave a presentation on plastic pollution to the Vista City Council at the invitation of Council Member Corinna Contreres (full blog report HERE)
This began the chain of events which led to an ordinance being drafted and considered by the council. The proposed ordinance, if passed, will take the following steps to reduce plastic pollution:
- Beginning on August 1, 2021, no food service provider in the City shall distribute single-use beverage straws, single-use stirrers, single-use cutlery, or accessory food service ware products with prepared food, except upon customer request.
- Beginning as soon as practical, but no later than August 1, 2021, no person shall distribute single-use beverage straws, single-use stirrers, single-use cutlery, or accessory food service ware products with prepared food, except upon customer request, at any City facility or any City-sponsored event.
- Beginning on July 1, 2023, no food service provider in the City shall distribute food service ware products made of polystyrene, known as Styrofoam, with prepared food.
- Beginning as soon as practical, but no later than July 1, 2023, no person shall distribute food service ware products made of polystyrene with prepared food at any City facility or any City-sponsored event.
You can access the full draft ordinance HERE.