[Adopted by Ord. No. 97-11 (§ 19-2
of the 2001 Code); amended in its entirety by 11-1-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-53]
This article sets forth the procedures for residents
desiring to dispose of plants, leaves, bushes, twigs, branches, and
other plant materials with the exception of grass clippings, so as
to protect the public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe
penalties for the failure to comply thereto.
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.
The placement of yard waste in a trash can, bucket, 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.
Any individual, group of individuals, partnership, corporation,
firm, association, or any other entity.
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.
Plants, leaves, bushes, twigs, branches, and other plant
materials, with the exception of grass clippings.
A.
The Township will collect vegetative material between
April and November of each year. Leaf collection shall occur beginning
the third week of October through December of each year.
B.
Residents shall place vegetative materials at the curbside no earlier
than the Saturday or Sunday immediately preceding the week in which
the resident's zone is to have collection in order to ensure the collection
of such materials. Sweeping, raking, blowing or otherwise placing
yard waste that is not containerized at the curb or street is only
allowed during this period. For the purpose of collecting vegetative
materials, the Township is divided in two zones, with Route 130 being
the dividing line. Materials will be collected in Zone 1 (west of
Route 130) during the first full week of the month and Zone 2 (east
of Route 130) during the second full week of the month.
C.
There shall be no collection of vegetative materials
for condominiums and townhouses.
D.
Brush may be dropped off all year round at the Public
Works facility located at 56 Robbinsville Allentown Road, during such
hours as designated by the Director of Public Works.
In order to allow for safe and efficient collection,
the following regulations must be followed:
A.
Yard waste
shall not be placed closer than 10 feet from any storm drain inlet.
B.
Placement
of yard waste at the curb or along the street at any other time or
in any other manner, and placement of grass clippings at the curb
or in any street at any time in a violation of this article. If 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.
C.
Collection shall be limited to brush and tree prunings.
D.
Tree trunks and limbs in excess of six inches in diameter
shall not be collected.
E.
Limbs should be no longer than six feet in length.
F.
All limbs and brush shall be placed in an orderly manner in front
of the resident's property with all butts (six inches in diameter
maximum) facing the roadside. The size of the pile may not be larger
than four feet high by 15 feet wide and is limited to one pile per
property. A resident shall be prohibited from placing his or her pile
in front of another's property.
G.
All small brush must be tied with twine in bundles
not to exceed six inches in diameter.
H.
All forsythia, willow vines, firethorns, tall grasses
and briars must be tied in bundles not to exceed six inches in diameter.
I.
No vegetative material shall be placed in bags. Vegetative
materials such as hedge trimmings and small sticks shall be placed
in open buckets or containers and placed near the pile of larger brush
for removal. These open buckets or containers must be free of dirt,
stone, and other nonvegetative materials.
J.
Brush and trimmings created by a private company such
as a commercial landscaper or tree removal service working on a residential
property shall not be eligible for municipal collection or dropoff.
The company who provides the service shall be responsible for disposal
of the brush and trimmings.
K.
Brush
and trimmings from commercial businesses in town are not eligible
for municipal collection or dropoff.
For the purpose of collecting leaves, the Township is divided
into six sectors identified as Sectors A, B, C, D, E, and F. Materials
will be collected in each sector based upon a weekly rotating schedule
beginning the third week in October with Sectors A and D, followed
by Sectors B and E, and then Sectors C and F. Residents must place
leaves at the curbside the Saturday or Sunday immediately preceding
the week in which the resident's sector is to have collection in order
to ensure the collection of such leaves.
The provisions of this article shall be enforced by the Township's
Department of Public Works and the Division of Police.
Failure to follow the above procedures will result in the Township refusing to remove vegetative materials from a property. Additionally, any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished as provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty.
