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Comprehensive Plan ANALYSIS Solid Waste Sub -Element In evaluating the County's solid waste system, several functional components must be considered. These components include: (1) solid waste generation and cost; (2) solid waste collection, storage, and transfer; (3) solid waste processing and disposal; and (4) projection of future demand and landfill capacity. Solid Waste Generation and Cost Since 1998, Indian River County has experienced over a 30% population increase. Thus, the amount of land area needed for landfill disposal of solid waste has increased. To address this need, the SWDD in recent years acquired an additional 300 acres of land, increasing the landfill site by approximately one hundred and ten percent (110%). In 2006, however, the SWDD Board decided not to develop the additional area for landfill expansion, but instead to limit all future capacity additions to the current area of the landfill site. To satisfy the need for water storage and canal modification as a result of the future abandonment of the C-5 canal that bisects the landfill property, the SWDD Board, in 2009, purchased 80.94 acres adjacent to an existing SWDD owned 30 acres on the West side of I-95. From 1995/96 to 2007/08, the total cubic yards of solid waste mass accumulated at the landfill site more than doubled, but because the SWDD currently compacts its solid waste at a greater density rate than in the past, the rate at which the landfill approaches capacity is slower. Currently, the County's level of service standard for solid waste is set at 2.2 tons per capita per year, an amount which is based on the annual per capita waste generation rate of 2.4 tons. Of the 2.4 tons per capita, 0.2 ton is attributable to commercial sources. Population Projections For population growth, the Introductory Element of the County's Comprehensive Plan provides information. Since the landfill site serves both the unincorporated and the incorporated areas of the County, the total County population must be used to project solid waste demand. Overall, the projected population determinates future needs for solid waste services. Using a population projection that is too low is likely to result in the failure to adequately provide for the County's needs. Conversely, using a population projection that is too high will result in identifying needs that will not occur in the forecasted time period. Therefore, an accurate forecast of the future population is essential in planning for solid waste demand. Section 9J-5.005 of the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) states that communities should utilize the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) mid-range projections when planning for future service needs. Consistent with Florida Administrative Code, the county has adopted BEBR's mid-range population projections. The following table identifies the County's population projections through 2030: Community Development Department Indian River County 19