This article establishes requirements for the proper handling
of yard waste in the Township, so as to protect public health, safety
and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for the failure to comply.
All persons owning, occupying, leasing, managing or having responsibility
for any lands in the Township shall dispose of leaves and yard waste
as described herein.
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein
unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates
a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words
used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural
number include the singular number, and words used in the singular
number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory
and not merely directory.
BIODEGRADABLE BAG
A paper bag, which is designed and manufactured to decompose
by a natural biological process. Plastic bags, regardless of whether
the manufacturer has designated them as biodegradable, are not permitted.
BRUSH
Shrubs, bushes, small trees of less than six inches caliper
and branches. Brush shall not include whole trees, tree trunks or
branches exceeding six inches in diameter.
CONTAINERIZED
The placement of yard waste in a trash can, bucket, biodegradable
bag or other vessel, such as to prevent the yard waste from spilling
or blowing out into the street and coming into contact with stormwater.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm,
association or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal
jurisdiction.
STREET
Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, parkway, viaduct, drive
or other way, which is an existing state, county or municipal roadway,
and includes the land between the street lines, whether improved or
unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, curbs,
sidewalks, parking areas, and other areas within the street lines.
The owner or occupant of any property, or any employee or contractor
of such owner or occupant engaged to provide lawn care or landscaping
services, shall not be permitted at any time to sweep, rake, blow
or otherwise place yard waste that is not containerized, as defined
herein, at the curb or along the street. Placement of such yard waste
at the curb or along the street in any other manner is a violation
of this article. If such placement of yard waste occurs, the party
responsible for placement of the yard waste must remove the yard waste
from the street or said party shall be deemed in violation of this
article. Containerized yard waste may be placed at the curb for collection
during announced periods of collection. Grass should be mulched or
placed in a separate container from leaves.
Brush may be placed at the curb for collection during announced
periods of collection. Brush placed at the curb for collection shall
be cut into no larger than four-foot lengths. Brush may be loose or
containerized. No trees, tree trunks or branches exceeding six inches
in diameter may be placed at the curb for collection.
In addition to placement of yard waste and brush in the street
for collection, Ewing residents may transport their own yard waste
and brush to a designated Township facility, when open and operating.
No commercial or residential lawn care contractor shall operate
in violation of this article. Commercial and residential lawn care
contractors must make provision for the containerizing of any lawn
waste cleared or removed from any residential or commercial property.
It shall be a violation of this article for any commercial or residential
lawn care contractor to blow, rake or otherwise place loose lawn waste
in the street. Both the lawn care contractor and the resident hiring
such contractor shall be subject to penalty under this article for
the placement of non-containerized lawn waste in the street.