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Residential Los Altos garbage rates are set to rise 16.4 percent next month, unless thousands of residents protest in writing before a May 27 public hearing.

Engineering Services Manager Jim Gustafson predicted that city staff would approve the increase. Based on state law, if 5,000 residents protest the increase, the city would have to pursue alternatives such as cutting services instead of raising costs. Gustafson reported that fewer than 100 residents had protested as of the beginning of the month.

“The bar to override this rate increase is very high,” he said.

The typical residential user, now paying $24, will pay $28 if the increase is enacted. Automatic rate increases, tied to rises in expenses, are written into Los Altos Garbage Company’s (LAGCo) contract with the city. Rates last increased in September 2005.

“Labor and fuel costs have increased more than anything (else),” Gustafson said.

Residents with questions or ideas about service improvements can attend the public hearing during the city council meeting 7 p.m. May 27 at 1 N. San Antonio Road.

The contract with LAGCo, which has a long history of serving the city, may be in its final years – city staff plan to seek competitive bids in the fall, pursuing expanded and lower-cost service options. Los Altos Hills terminated its contract with LAGCo earlier this year.

Some of the options Gustafson said city staff and residents might consider for future contracts include single-stream recycling, more frequent recycling pickup, adding recycling containers downtown and in parks, adding other categories of roadside pickup, such as fluorescent light bulbs or food waste, street sweeping and annual bulk item pickup.

Contact Eliza Ridgeway at elizar@latc.com.