Oceanside OKs plastic bag ban

Oceanside’s ban on single-use plastic bags had some surprising support this week from business groups who said the change will benefit merchants as well as the environment.

The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, MainStreet Oceanside and the California Grocers Association all favored the city’s new ordinance, which was approved by the City Council on Wednesday on a 3-2 vote.

The move makes Oceanside one of more than 150 municipalities across the state to outlaw the bags, saying they’re devastating to sea life and contribute to pollution.

Under the ordinance, large stores in Oceanside that generate more than $2 million in annual sales, or have at least 10,000 square feet of sales space, will have to stop distributing plastic bags starting on Jan. 1. Other smaller stores would follow a year later.

Councilmen Jerry Kern and Jack Feller voted against the ban, with Feller saying it would inconvenience customers shopping at local stores. Mayor Jim Wood and Council members Esther Sanchez and Chuck Lowery voted in favor.

But business leaders seemed willing to take that chance — none opposed the ordinance during the several months the city looked at the idea.

“When you think about it, it’s us lazy people who don’t want to bring in a bag to the store who are going to be most affected,” David Nydegger, president of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce said on Thursday.

He said business owners will save time and money because they’ll no longer have to buy and store large amounts of plastic bags.

About 15 people spoke in favor of the ordinance during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, including representatives of environmental organizations such as Wildcoast and the Surfrider Foundation.

“I’ve surfed in Oceanside waters, so this issue is very personal to me,” said Angela Howe, legal director for the foundation. “You guys are Oceanside. You need to protect the ocean. You need to keep these beaches clean and attractive for visitors to come and spend money in your great town.”

Colleen Foster, senior management analyst for the city’s solid waste and recycling department, said the city has held numerous community meetings and presentations, including discussions with the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, MainStreet Oceanside and neighborhood gatherings in various parts of the city.

Through those efforts, the city has received over 300 public, mostly positive comments on the ban, Foster said.

Feller said he expects complaints will emerge once the new law takes effect. “People are going to be surprised when this actually hits them,” he said. “My three daughters shop for at least nine people in each of their families and it takes away a convenience for them.”

Kern said he wanted to postpone action on the ordinance until after the November election, when voters will get to decide on a statewide ban.

In September 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 270 banning the plastic shopping bags statewide. That law’s implementation was put on hold because opponents qualified a referendum for the November ballot.

If it’s approved by voters, the statewide law would take precedent and stores in Oceanside would have to follow that law.

Oceanside’s ordinance would allow stores to charge customers a minimum of 10 cents for each paper bag, to encourage customers to bring reusable bags.

To limit the effects of those costs on low-income families, stores may provide the bags free of charge to customers that participate in some food assistance programs, such as the state Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.