See the Norristown Stormwater Management Ordinance, Chapter
276, adopted by the Municipal Council on December 19, 2006, or later version.
Central trash storage and recyclable storage areas shall be
developed as follows:
1. Design.
A. All trash collection equipment should be placed within enclosures.
Enclosures should be at least large enough to adequately contain all
trash and recyclable material containers. Generally, the sizing and
type of storage containers will depend upon the amount of trash and
recyclables expected to be generated in the buildings they service.
B. Enclosures should be six feet high or at least one foot higher than
the proposed collection container.
C. Enclosures should be made of durable material, including masonry
blocks or steel reinforced wood fencing. In most cases, garden-type
fencing or landscaping is not durable enough.
D. The entrance to the enclosure should be at least 10 feet wide to
accommodate front-loading trucks. Gates placed on the entrance should
be durable and equipped with piston-type bolts to secure gates in
both a closed and open position.
E. The trash storage area should be placed on a concrete pad. The dimensions
of the pad are dependent on the number and size of proposed containers.
Ideally, the pad should extend six to 10 feet in front of where the
proposed container is to be placed to support the front wheels of
the trash truck servicing the site. The area above the container should
be free of obstructions. Generally, a fifteen-foot clearance above
the storage area is sufficient.
2. Locations. In locating a trash storage area, several objectives should
be balanced, including spatial demands, distance from source of trash
generation, setback from adjoining property, and access for disposal
trucks. Trash storage may be placed near building service entrances
or loading docks. In apartment or condominium complexes with centralized
waste storage, containers may be located in an area which is convenient
to each grouping of 10 to 15 units. Spatial consideration (i.e., loss
of parking area or loading space) is important. During the servicing
of these containers (up to five minutes), it is important that internal
circulation at the site is not impeded. Trash containers ideally should
be within a building setback in a given zoning district. At a minimum,
they should be set back in accordance with accessory structures.
3. Operations. Trash storage containers should be serviced at least
once a week. Recycling containers can be serviced at a less-frequent
interval. If a dumpster contains food, it should be serviced every
three days. Storage containers should have tight-fitting lids, secured
at all times, and be leak free. They should also be cleaned out at
least two times a year.