We’ve reached that time of the year where the trees are bursting with color…and covering the ground.
We know it can be difficult to control where the leaves go, so we have two asks: 1) please don’t purposely put leaves in the street, and 2) please make it a habit to clean up in front of your home to keep sidewalks safe and storm drains clear.
Please do NOT blow or rake leaves into the street.
As tempting as it may be, this is not a good option for several reasons:
1. Putting them in the street may get them out of your yard, but they eventually end up somewhere – usually storm drains. The drains can become clogged or blocked, resulting in flooding. Stormwater is not treated before it flows into local waterways (like Hedges Creek and the Tualatin River), so the concentration of nutrients in piles of decaying leaves can contribute to wildlife habitat disruption.
2. Leaves in the street are a safety hazard. There is no way of knowing the road conditions leaves, so pedestrians and bicyclists may slip/trip in the debris.
3. Street sweeping is intended to keep natural leaf fall on public streets at bay, not to clear large manmade leaf piles from residences and businesses.
4. It isn’t allowed. As outlined in the Tualatin Municipal Code, no person shall knowingly deposit yard debris onto another person’s property or in the public right-of-way, enforceable by up to a $500 fine.
DO try:
1. Leaving the leaves – and help the bees! Leaves provide habitat and food for pollinators during the winter months and improves soil health. Just be sure to keep your sidewalk clear and passable.
2. Raking leaves into flower or garden beds. Several inches of leaf mulch can protect plants from winter cold.
3. Making leaf compost. Simply rake leaves into 3×3 pile and water thoroughly. Let the pile sit for 6-2 months, watering occasionally. Or, fill a large plastic bag, seal, cut some slits for air flow, open and water occasionally. It is an excellent (and FREE!) soil amendment.
4. Put leaves in your yard debris bin (try alternating layers of leaves and food scraps). You can use an extra-large paper bag specifically designed for yard debris (available online and at local stores) and set it out next to your regular roll carts. Republic Services will collect it for a small fee.
Thanks for helping do your part to ‘leaf’ Tualatin’s streets and stormwater systems clean.
For more info, give us a ring at 503-691-3091.
