Coconut Creek is getting its curbside recycling back, and it is coming with a high-tech twist. Last Thursday, June 25, the City Commission approved on first reading an ordinance to amend and restate its exclusive solid-waste franchise with Republic Services of Florida. The proposed contract would bring back curbside recycling for single-family homes, switch collection to automated electric trucks, and roll out artificial-intelligence software to flag contaminated recycling at the curb. It also includes a built-in mechanism to adjust customer rates as labor, equipment and disposal costs climb.
Ordinance and contract basics
According to the City of Coconut Creek meeting record, ORD 2026-002-1 formally rewrites the city’s 2019 solid-waste franchise. The document notes that the current agreement expires on September 30, 2026, with an option for a one-time five-year renewal, and it authorizes the city manager to execute the restated agreement once the ordinance receives final approval.
What’s in the deal
As outlined in the City of Coconut Creek summary of changes, residents can expect a swap-out of their existing containers for new carts, with the option of larger 96-gallon bins. Each household would be limited to two free carts, and any extra containers would carry an $11 monthly charge. The draft deal also trims how much bulk waste residents can leave at the curb.
On the operations side, the agreement requires automated collection trucks equipped with cameras and AI software capable of spotting contamination in recycling carts. It also specifies where collected recyclable materials would be processed.
Electric trucks and technology
City staff have been highlighting both the environmental upside and the day-to-day efficiencies they expect from automated electric trucks paired with AI-assisted collection. They say the shift to electric vehicles would cut tailpipe emissions and reduce neighborhood noise, while the camera and software systems would give crews better data to target problem areas for contamination.
The City of Coconut Creek presentation notes that the proposed contract would allow Coconut Creek to run a fully electric curbside fleet and includes comparisons of local rates with those in nearby communities.
What it will cost
Slide materials presented to commissioners put the base residential collection charge at about $29.97 per month, with some slides listing that figure without recycling included. Local reporting estimates that adding curbside recycling back into the mix would bring the full-service cost to roughly $399 per year, or about a $7.86 increase per month for a typical household, according to Coconut Creek Talk.
The city’s own City of Coconut Creek business impact estimate flags a much steeper hit for some commercial customers, warning that dumpster-service charges for businesses could rise by about 40 percent.
Timeline and next steps
For now, the ordinance has only cleared its first hurdle. It passed on first reading and must come back for a second and final vote before the restated franchise agreement becomes binding. If the commission adopts it on final reading, the city manager would then be authorized to sign the revised contract, according to the City of Coconut Creek legislation packet.
The draft contract also spells out implementation timelines. For example, if commissioners decide to have yard waste collected separately, Republic Services would have 90 days to roll out that change, as detailed in the City of Coconut Creek summary of changes.
Why this matters
For residents, the most visible changes will be the new carts on the curb, updated collection rules and an education push aimed squarely at cutting down contamination in recycling loads. Earlier coverage pointed to an October start date for the revamped curbside recycling service, so residents can expect sign-up details and program information to start arriving in the coming months, according to Coconut Creek Talk.
