Simi Valley council weighs landfill annexation

At the Simi Valley City Council’s Sept. 21 meeting, Mayor Dee Dee Cavanaugh backed consideration of annexing the Simi Valley Landfill. She focused on hazardous materials continuing to arrive, landfill capacity consumed by debris from recent fires, and persistent odors reaching nearby communities.

Waste Management is seeking Ventura County’s permission to enlarge the landfill’s footprint. Much of the approved space has already been used for additional waste generated by the L.A. fires. If annexation advances, Simi Valley could gain more authority over the facility’s operations and the material accepted there. The city could also collect the landfill’s taxable income, which currently goes to the county.

The discussion also brought renewed attention to Simi Valley’s 2022 agreement with Waste Management: a 10-year hauling contract valued at $200 million. Thousand Oaks arranged its hauling deal during the same period and pays nearly 30% less for weekly trash pickup. Its Community Arts funding from Waste Management is $250,000, compared with $50,000 received by Simi Valley. Cavanaugh’s position has altered the local political conversation with elections five weeks away.