[HISTORY: Adopted by the Commission of the Town of Cottage
City as Ch. 3 of the 2007 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Refers to the unwanted organic refuse, largely foods, either
unconsumed or spoiled and organic waste from the processing of foods,
containing natural moisture, but no free liquids.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
Refers to all solid waste and includes garbage, rubbish and
ashes.
All other types of refuse, other than garbage.
Refers to all unwanted materials, including liquid and solid
waste materials.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09; 12-12-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-10B]
A.
It
is hereby ordained and required that within the corporate limits of
the Town of Cottage City all garbage and any refuse consisting of
waste animal or vegetable matter upon which insects and rats may feed,
or in which insects may breed, and all small dead animals, shall be
placed and stored until collected, in rust-resistant, tight, nonabsorbent,
and easily washable receptacles which are covered with close fitting
lids. For all homes that receive Town trash pickup, the only trash
cans to be used for garbage and refuse as described in the previous
sentence shall be rolling trash cans with tight-fitting lids, which
shall be distributed, by number, to each home receiving Town trash
pickup. Other trash cans may be used for yard waste, but shall not
be used for refuse or garbage. Lids shall remain closed at all times,
except when depositing refuse and garbage into the cans. All cans
shall be washed occasionally, and treated with disinfectant, if necessary,
to prevent odors from being a nuisance. Additional rolling trash cans
may be purchased from the Town for the market rate, with associated
costs. Damaged trash cans may be repaired or replaced upon request.
Missing trash cans may be cause for charging a replacement fee.
B.
The Town Manager may waive or provide an exemption to the strict requirements of Subsection A that require residents to use a standard-sized, Town-issued trash can. Qualified residents who are disabled and/or over the age of 70 are exempt from mandatory use of the standard-sized trash can provided they make application in writing to the Town and provide proof of age or disability. Only a homeowner, tenant or occupant who is 70 years old or older and/or disabled and lives at the property may request an exemption from the standard-sized garbage container requirement.
C.
Any alternate-sized or smaller trash can issued or permitted under Subsection B shall be as prescribed by the Town Manager. The standard-size trash can issued pursuant to Subsection A shall be 95 gallons having certain other features as procured in bulk by the Town and may be modified by written resolution of the Cottage City Commission.
All rubbish shall be stored in covered containers between collections
except in the case of large articles, such as logs. Such large articles
should be cut into sections not to exceed three feet in length and
placed at the street curb for collection.
No refuse whatsoever shall be allowed to accumulate on any premises or vacant lot except in covered containers as described above. If garbage and rubbish are not collected separately, they may be kept in one or more containers as described in §§ 3-2 and 3-3 above. In such cases the household garbage shall be drained and wrapped before placing in containers. If garbage and other types of refuse are disposed of separately, separate containers are required.
All lumber or other building materials or articles stored on
the premises must be stacked on racks at least 18 inches above the
floor or ground level.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, leave, dump, or
permit to accumulate any garbage, rubbish or trash in any building
or on any premises so that the same shall or may afford food or harborage
for rats or insects, or shall or may afford breeding places for insects.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
All property within the corporate limits of the Town of Cottage
City may be viewed periodically for compliance with the requirements
of this chapter by the police or code enforcement officials of the
Town of Cottage City, to the extent permitted under the Fourth Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution.
No person shall deposit trash or debris of any kind or nature,
whatsoever, on any public property within the Town of Cottage City
except in compliance with this chapter.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
All residents of the Town of Cottage City are hereby authorized to deposit household trash and debris on the public right-of-way, at the curbline or property line, easily accessible from the street, where trash pickup normally occurs by the designated contractor of Cottage City nearest their place of residence on the days of the week designated by the Town Commissioners for a regular trash collection. Items to be collected shall be placed prior to 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day but no earlier than 2:00 p.m. of the day preceding the day of the week designated by the Town Commissioners for regular trash collection. Except as further provided in this Chapter 3, such household trash shall not include any item too bulky to be included in a standard trash can, nor shall automobile parts, building materials, dirt or any such other matters not within the ordinary meaning of the term household trash be deposited for regular trash pickup. Except for bulky trash, yard debris (grass, clippings, leaves, etc.) that has no food or garbage in it must be stored in paper bags or containers. Empty cardboard boxes may be put out without bagging them. Christmas trees may be placed out on the public right-of-way as a part of regular trash pickup without being cut to size or containerized in any way. All other trash that is not recyclable must be contained in a metal or plastic trash can with a tightly fitting metal or plastic lid to keep animals out of it. In the event reusable containers are used, the resident shall bring such containers back onto their premises from the public right-of-way within 24 hours after the containers have been emptied by the trashmen. Any resident desiring to place trash out earlier than the above time on a regular basis must apply to the Town Manager the Town of Cottage City for such permission. The Town Manager may only grant such permission after considering the special circumstances put forward by the resident or owners and weighing that against the Town's interest in having the Town free of trash and debris on public property. The decision of the Town Manager is final.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
A.
All residents of the Town of Cottage City are hereby authorized to
deposit, on the public right-of-way, at the curbline or property line,
easily accessible from the street, where normal trash pickup occurs
by the designated contractor of Cottage City nearest their residence,
certain items hereinafter specified on the day designated by the Commissioners
of the Town of Cottage City as the Bulky Trash Collection Day, provided
that a request as required by the Town is timely made. The items permitted
to be deposited as bulky trash shall include those items used in the
residence and yard. It may not include debris from renovation or construction
activities of any kind, building parts, nor automobile parts. No more
than four items may be placed out on any single bulky trash collection
day and all materials shall be appropriately bagged, boxed or bundled
to facilitate easy collection, by which is meant, for example, that
bushes or branches except for household Christmas trees shall be cut
to length of no more than four feet and tied into a bundle easily
handled by one person. However, any single large object, as for example
a heavy chair or sofa, may be placed out without breaking it into
pieces or bagging or bundling it in any way. Items to be collected
shall be placed prior to 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day
but not prior to 2:00 p.m. of the day preceding the day designated
by the Commissioners of the Town of Cottage City as bulky trash collection
day. Any resident desiring to place out earlier than the above time
must apply to the Town Manager of Cottage City for such permission.
The Town Manager may only grant such permission after considering
the special circumstances put forward by the resident or owner and
weighing that against the Town's interest in having the Town
free of trash and debris on public property.
B.
At no time is it permissible to empty the complete contents of a
house for bulky trash collection. In those instances where residents
are either moving in or out of Town, and have more than four items
allowed under bulky trash collection, or more than normally would
be put out on a regular trash collection day as under this chapter,
such trash shall be removed by the residents or owners of the property
at their expense. The use of the Town truck in these instances is
permissible provided the residents or owners of the property pay required
rental and tipping fees and they load the truck.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
Except for Hamlet Park Condominiums, all apartment dwellings,
condominiums and other commercial enterprises located within the corporate
limits of the Town of Cottage City shall make separate and distinct
arrangements for their own garbage and refuse disposal from that afforded
the occupants of single-family dwellings. Unless other provisions
reasonably acceptable to the Town are made, all such garbage and refuse
for multifamily dwellings and condominiums and commercial enterprises
must be placed in dumpsters or similar containers and such containers/dumpsters
shall be fully enclosed and screened from public view.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
All residents of the Town of Cottage City are hereby authorized
to deposit leaves from their property onto the public property where
trash pickup normally occurs by the designated contractor nearest
their residences on those days designated for leaf pickup by the Commissioners
of the Town of Cottage City. The leaves must be bagged in paper bags.
[Amended 7-11-2018 by Emergency Ord. No. 2018-09]
Any violation of this chapter shall be deemed a municipal infraction
and shall be punished by a fine of $50 for an initial offense and
$100 for each repeat offense. Each day any violation continues shall
be a separate offense.
