Mountain Village: Incentivizing Composting Units

24 Jul Mountain Village: Incentivizing Composting Units

For more information about composting units in Mountain Village, contact program coordinator Zoe Dohnal at dohnal@mtnvillage.org or visit the website.

As part of its goal to be zero waste by 2025, the Town of Mountain Village and is offering homeowners associations, hotels, and multi-unit facilities rebates of up to $5,000 toward the cost of purchasing and installing an on-site composting unit.

“Approximately 30 percent of our region’s waste is compostable material,” said Town of Mountain Village Community Engagement & Business Development Coordinator Zoe Dohnal. “We recognize there is room for improvement and we hope to encourage Mountain Village residents to start composting with this incentive.”

A portion of the $5,000 rebate can be used for equipment to mix compost, a scale to weight composted material, or signage/educational material.

“Our goal is to make the process simple and mitigate costs for residents,” Dohnal said. “Composting is vital to reducing landfill waste where it simply takes up space and releases methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.”

All composting units must submit the appropriate design review applications to the Town of Mountain Village’s Planning and Development Services Department for staff review to ensure town building and design codes are met.

In order to install a composting system on an existed structure, a licensed contractor will need to obtain a building permit through the town’s building department. In some cases, an associated electrical permit will also be required. The composting structure must also be bear-proof and approved by the town’s planning department.

Once work is approved and completed, a composting rebate incentive program application may be submitted to Dohnal along with the project’s building permit, copies of all receipts for the purchase of the unit, HOA consent allowing the installation of the unit, and photos of a completed composting setup, then eligible applicants can receive up to $5,000 of the cost of the system.

In turn, the participating properties can then use their composted materials on landscaping and gardens, or provide to the town for landscaping public facilities throughout Mountain Village.

“Diverting compostable waste simultaneously reduces greenhouse gas emissions while also producing a reusable asset that offsets soil depletion,” said Town Council Member Patrick Berry, who also sits on the town’s Green Team. “The Mountain Village composting incentive is an important first step toward building a culture that supports this effort.”