ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - The City Council voted unanimously at its Feb. 25 meeting to amend sections of its zoning code to allow operation of a medical waste transfer facility in an existing commercial building on Survey Road. Council also approved a resolution establishing a conditional use permit (CUP) for the facility proposed by Trilogy MedWaste West, headquartered in Houston, Texas, but locally based in Fresno.

The ordinance passed by council amending Title 23 of the code adds “Medical Waste Transfer Facility” as a use along with a description, allows for the use with a CUP in the “Heavy Industrial Zoning District,” and adds minimum parking requirements and a definition of medical waste, which is the same established under California Health and Safety Code Section 117690. The resolution approving the CUP sets conditions of use for the facility.

The Trilogy MedWaste facility will be located in a two-suite commercial building at 9168 Survey Road, across the road from the proposed site of Elk Grove’s new homeless shelter. Trilogy would occupy Suite B, a total of 3,500 square feet with 3,200 square feet of storage/supply space, including a biohazard transfer storage area.

According to the staff report, the facility would employ five people Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are spaces for parking box trucks used in daily medical waste pickup as well as a location for a long-haul truck that would transfer waste to the storage facility every seven days.

“There will be no disposal at this Elk Grove location,” city senior planner Kyra Killingsworth told the council.

Under the amended city code establishing medical waste transfer facility as an allowed use in the heavy industrial zone, language for this type of use “means a facility where medical wastes are loaded, unloaded or stored during the normal course of transportation.”

As a middle point for the collection and processing of medical waste, which Killingsworth said would be “sharps, biowaste and clinical waste,” the disposal of medical waste onsite is prohibited.

“We take our security in the handling of medical waste serious,” Trilogy MedWaste West Director of Compliance Chad Platta said. “You’ll never see medical waste; everything is always tied and sealed.”

“Medical waste does not include human remains, correct?” Councilman Kevin Spease asked during council questioning.

“Correct,” Platta said.

Vice Mayor Darren Suen asked Platta about security measures at the site to restrict unauthorized entry, such as barbed wire atop fencing and surveillance systems. Platta said barbed wire will be installed, along with other secure access measures, but they do not have video surveillance just yet.

Also at the Feb. 25 meeting, council received a financial update from the Measure E Citizens’ Oversight Committee regarding revenues, expenses and projects accomplished during fiscal year 2024-2025. Measure E is a 1% sales tax approved by voters in 2022, with proceeds shared between Elk Grove and Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD), with the city receiving 50%, Cosumnes 30% and 20% set aside for “future priority projects.”

Council established priorities for Measure E funds in 2024 are addressing public safety issues, enhancing youth programs, addressing homelessness, maintaining streets and improving traffic conditions, maintaining parks, supporting clean and safe public areas and advancing economic development. Committee chair Valerie Erwin said council added four priorities for fiscal year 2025-2026: arts, culture and entertainment initiatives; affordable housing, preservation of natural areas and open spaces and maintaining and expanding bike and pedestrian trials.

“So we do have now a total of 11 priorities that are in place,” Erwin said, adding the Feb. 25 report only covers the first seven.

“The committee was appointed by the City Council to ensure exactly that the funding is aligned with those identified priorities,” Erwin said.

Measure E 2025 tax revenues totaled almost $34.65 million, with $17.32 million for Elk Grove, just over $10.94 million shared with Cosumnes CSD and $6.92 million slated for future projects. Of that $17.32 million, 67 percent (almost $11.85 million), was spent on crime reduction and rapid response.

The fund began 2025 with a $22.56 million beginning balance and ended the year with $37.305 million, after sharing with Cosumnes CSD and future project set-asides. The committee appropriated $4 million for the city’s future homeless shelter and ended the year with a future priorities reserve of $15.308 million and an “Unrestricted Fund Balance” of almost $18 million, an amount larger than expected.

“We didn’t spend as much as we had budgeted, which is available to reprogram next year,” Assistant City Manager Jaqui Guzman said.

Cosumnes CSD Chief Financial Officer Nou Vang said the district began 2025 with a fund balance of just over $6.69 million. Coupled with the 2025 revenues, against just over $8 million in 2025 expenses, the fund is left with almost $9.55 million to go toward district priorities such as the Cosumnes Fire Department, clean and safe public areas, parks maintenance and youth gang/crime prevention.

The rest of the report consisted of various staff and department directors providing short presentations on achievements and upcoming initiatives in their respective areas of responsibility.