Yard Debris Piles

Do Not Place Yard Debris in the Street or Center Medians

Residents may place piles of yard debris – brush and branches – into the tree lawn area at their property frontage just behind the curb or edge of pavement for pickup by the city. Residents should not place yard debris in front of other properties, nor should they place yard debris in any roadway center medians. Under no circumstance should residents place anything in the street or roadway gutter (except leaves in the fall). Any amount of debris in the street is an obstruction and disrupts the stormwater collection system by diverting water away from the intended storm drains. Debris in the street can be dangerous to vehicles and is hard to see at night. Debris in the street also interferes with on-street parking and is a danger to pedestrians, joggers, and bicyclists.

It is against the law to place yard debris in the street.  The only exception is for leaves during the fall collection program. The city’s code enforcement officer responds to yard debris piles placed in the gutter or street by leaving a door-hanger notice at the property affording two business days to remove the obstruction from the street. After two days, the city will remove the obstruction and will charge the property owner $150.

Property owners who routinely use the city’s monthly collection program and wish to construct a hard surface pad (e.g., concrete, brick, paver) for debris placement should contact the code enforcement officer at (937) 297-2920 and review the Yard Debris Pad Application.

In addition to the monthly pick-up, the city offers other options for disposing of yard debris, such as the 24/7 drop-off facility at the J.D. Foell Public Works Center. Also, residents are provided two free special pickups per year, which can be used for yard debris. Additionally, dumpsters are available to be delivered free of charge for large amounts of green waste.

Visit the Yard Debris Disposal page for further information.