Laserfiche WebLink
2 <br />2023-2024 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />People spent 20.7% more money at restaurants than on groceries in 2022. That figure rose to <br />29.5% in the first two months of 2023 according to Commerce Department data.1 This <br />significant increase in use of restaurants and “micro” and “mobile” food services, not <br />surprisingly, resulted in an increase in organic (food stuff) waste, paper, glass and general <br />garbage. <br /> <br />Members of the Civil Grand Jury initiated this review of the health and safety conditions <br />surrounding the immediate areas designated for waste removal after observing an increase in <br />rodents around parklets. Initial walkthroughs behind restaurants determined that the problem <br />related to waste management in general as well as to the parklets. Photos contained in Appendix <br />A depict some of the disturbing findings. <br /> <br />The Grand Jury found a significant number of restaurant exterior waste storage areas and areas <br />below parklets had clearly deficient, unsanitary, unsightly and odorous conditions. The <br />investigation found that the “standards” for these areas, i.e., how these conditions were <br />monitored, and how codes and policies were enforced, to be inconsistent at best and non-existent <br />in some instances. A quantification of the waste storage area problem proved difficult as many <br />sites and their condition were dependent on the day of the week and their garbage pick-up days. <br /> <br />This Grand Jury report includes recommendations for a more proactive approach to handling the <br />garbage and parklet sanitation problems around restaurant exteriors in San Mateo County, and <br />suggestions for preventive maintenance. <br /> <br /> <br />REGULATORY FRAMEWORK <br /> <br />California Health & Safety Code, Chapter 7 known as the “Retail Food Code” regulates, at the <br />State level, the protections required for public health and safety of a “Food Facility”.2 The Code <br /> <br />1 https://www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdf <br />2 H&S Code 113789 (a) “Food facility” means an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or <br />otherwise provides food for human consumption at the retail level, including, but not limited to, the following: <br />(1) An operation where food is consumed on or off the premises, regardless of whether there is a charge for <br />the food. <br />(2) A place used in conjunction with the operations described in this subdivision, including, but not limited <br />to, storage facilities for food-related utensils, equipment, and materials. <br />(b) “Food facility” includes permanent and nonpermanent food facilities, including, but not limited to, the <br />following: (1) Public and private school cafeterias. <br />(2) Restricted food service facilities. <br />(3) Licensed health care facilities, except as provided in paragraph (12) of subdivision (c). <br />(4) Commissaries. <br />(5) Mobile food facilities. <br />(6) Mobile support units. <br />(7) Temporary food facilities. <br />(8) Vending machines. <br />(9) Certified farmers’ markets, for purposes of permitting and enforcement pursuant to Section 114370. <br />6.F. - Page 6 of 32 <br />50