Curbside Leaf Collection Guidelines

Leaf collection begins Monday, Oct. 15, and ends the first week of December.

To ensure that leaves from your property are collected, please follow these guidelines:

• Place leaf piles as close to the edge of the street as possible. Think higher piles, not wider piles. It’s important to allow for two-way vehicular traffic at all times.
• Do not place leaf piles in the drainage ditch. Leaf removal crews will not rake out ditches.
• Homeowners with addresses on Santa Barbara and Bloomfield should place leaf piles along adjacent side streets.
• Do not include trash, animal feces, twigs, branches, grass clippings, flowers and other yard waste with leaves. They often cause mechanical malfunctions. If the leaf removal crew discovers these items in a leaf pile, they’ll leave it and move on to the next address.
• Help ensure crew safety and timely removal by placing leaf piles several feet from garbage cans and other refuse.
• Expect some residue – “leaf dust.” It’s an inevitable byproduct of the leaf collection method and equipment.
• Don’t park vehicles on or near leaf piles.
• Please be patient. The leaf collection schedule is weather-dependent. It takes longer to collect wet leaves. Several windy days in a row often results in larger leaf piles, which take longer to collect.
• If you prefer, you may still use yard waste bags for leaves during the season.
• If you employ a landscape company, please advise them of these guidelines.