§ 8.46.030. Requirements for food facilities.

Any food facility that discharges wastewater into the public sewer collection system shall comply with the following requirements:

A.

The owners and employees of a food facility shall be able to and, when requested by a representative of the City, shall demonstrate that the food facility complies with best management practices for handling fats, oils and grease.

B.

A food facility shall have one (1) or more drums or containers for the recycling and disposal of fats, oils and grease. Drums and containers used for storage of fats, oils and grease shall be leakproof and shall be secured with close fitting lids. The owner or operator of a food facility shall keep the drums and containers in a location on the site of the food facility so that there is no possibility of an accidental or deliberate spilling of fats, oils or grease onto a public right-of-way. The drums and containers shall be removed for recycling as frequently as necessary to avoid an unsafe, hazardous, or untidy condition or an impediment to passage. The owner, operator and employees of a food facility shall remove fats, oils and grease that have spilled, including, but not limited to, grease generated by washing hoods, floors and mats, and shall immediately clean the area where the spill occurred.

C.

Prior to or at the time that the owner or operator of a new food facility applies for a business license or a building permit from the City's Department of Planning and Building, the owner or operator shall submit to the Long Beach Water Department plans describing the manner in which the owner or operator will comply with this Chapter, particularly with respect to the grease interceptor. Prior to or at the time that the owner or operator of an existing food facility applies for a building permit from the City's Department of Planning and Building for modifications to the plumbing system at that existing food facility which modifications have an estimated cost of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) or more, the owner or operator shall submit to the Long Beach Water Department plans describing the manner in which the owner or operator will comply with this Chapter, particularly with respect to the grease interceptor. Any time there is a change in ownership of an existing food facility or a change in the operation of an existing food facility, the new owner (if there is a change in ownership) or the current owner or operator (if there is a change in the operation) shall submit to the Long Beach Water Department plans describing the manner in which the owner will comply with this Chapter, particularly with respect to the grease interceptor.

Food facilities subject to this Subsection may apply for a variance from the requirements relating to a grease interceptor. If the enforcement official determines that the installation of a grease interceptor would not be feasible due to limitations on space or other relevant factors, a variance will be granted. The burden is on the food facility to demonstrate that the installation of a grease interceptor is not feasible.

D.

The Long Beach Water Department may authorize the installation of a grease trap or other alternative pretreatment technology where the installation of a grease interceptor is not feasible provided that the owner has obtained the prior written approval of the Long Beach Water Department for the type and size of alternative pretreatment technology to be installed by the owner. Alternate pretreatment technology includes, but is not limited to, devices used to trap, separate and store grease from wastewater to prevent it from discharge into the public sewer collection system.

E.

The owner or operator of a food facility shall keep a written record of the maintenance, repair and cleaning of grease traps and grease interceptors for a period of one (1) year, beginning on the date a new business is open to the public or, in the case of a modification to the food facility which requires a building permit, on the date of final inspection as shown on the building permit (a copy of which shall be delivered to the Long Beach Water Department). This record shall contain documentation (including, but not limited to, receipts) showing the times, dates, nature of the maintenance, repair and cleaning, quantities of fats, oils and grease removed, and the name, address and phone number of the person or entity cleaning the grease interceptor, grease trap or alternative pretreatment technology (if it has been approved by the City).

F.

The owner or operator of a food facility that fails to implement best management practices or that has repeated incidents relating to grease spills or blockages shall install grease interceptors or, if a variance is granted under Subsection C of this Section, grease traps or other alternative pretreatment technology.

G.

The owner, operator and employees of a food facility shall allow enforcement officials access to the food facility during the normal business hours of the food facility or outside of normal business hours, if acceptable to the food facility, for the purpose of sampling wastewater, inspecting the grease interceptors and grease traps, and reviewing the records and documentation required by Subsection E of this Section.

H.

Food facilities shall comply with the latest edition of the "Rules And Regulations" regularly published by the Long Beach Water Department as they relate to the prevention of spills or blockages of fats, oils and grease, and to grease trap requirements.

(Ord. 05 0003 § 1, 2005)