Jackson official: Don't leave leaves in street, bag for pickup

As autumn leaves begin to fall, Jackson residents are being asked not to rake them into city streets where they could clog storm drains and cause flooded roadways during fall and winter months.

Instead, property owners are being asked to bag leaves and other yard waste for curbside pickup by city crews.

Jackson public works director Kent Peetz said proper disposal of leaves and other yard waste helps keep the storm drainage system from backing up.

“It’s a really bad thing to rake leaves into the street,” Peetz said. “Historically, a lot of people have raked them into the streets and burned them, but that causes concrete streets to crack.”

In addition, he said ash from burn piles can clog drains and contaminate the stormwater drainage system.

Jackson city codes specifically prohibit depositing yard waste or any refuse in storm drains, streets or any city drainage area. Doing so is punishable as a misdemeanor.

Peetz suggested leaves could be used as compost in gardens or around plants and trees.

Otherwise, residential customers are encouraged to load bags of leaves and other yard waste weighing up to 40 pounds along the street curb during the first and third full weeks of the month on their regular trash days. City crews will also pick up tied bundles of limbs that are no longer than 5 feet long and no thicker than 18 inches in diameter.

Jackson residents can also take leaves and other yard waste to the yard waste pits at the Jackson Recycling Center between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Storm drains that are clogged or not draining properly should be reported to the Jackson Public Works Department, (573) 243-2300.

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