West Chester holds public hearing on major rewrite of trash, tote and dumpster rules

West Chester Borough held a public hearing to review proposed amendments to Chapter 62, “Garbage, Rubbish and Refuse,” that would reorganize the code, define terms such as “toter” and “dumpster,” change storage and screening requirements, and require larger dumpsters for properties that generate more than the equivalent of four 96‑gallon toters per week.

The revisions, presented by a member of the council committee, would move general rules into a single section, split public-collection and private‑hauler requirements into separate sections, and clarify dumpster use and screening. The hearing record shows the committee worked with borough staff on the draft and that the changes are intended to make the ordinance more readable and enforceable.

Why it matters: Council members and residents said the borough’s alleys and sidewalks are increasingly used for permanent trash storage and that inconsistent rules have allowed a proliferation of toters and uncovered bags. The draft attempts to limit the number of containers left in alleys, set minimum dumpster sizes where many toters are generated, and give staff clearer enforcement tools.

Residents and public commenters focused on three practical problems: how the new language affects existing 2‑cubic‑yard dumpsters, whether non‑wheeled containers are still permitted, and how enforcement and timelines for compliance would be handled. Daryl Cook asked the council to read the ordinance aloud for residents without computer access and raised specific questions about whether the draft would “outlaw all the 2 cubic yard dumpsters that are in the borough?” and whether an existing two‑yard dumpster at the Justice Center would be forced to be replaced. Council members and staff responded that the 3‑cubic‑yard requirement applies to properties that “generate more than the equivalent of four 96‑gallon toters per week” and that the intent is to replace clusters of many toters with a single, screened dumpster, not to force conversion on properties that currently do not exceed the trash‑generation threshold.

Anne Carroll, chair of the civic group CASE Civic Action Southeast, queried whether the toter definition would force residents to buy new wheeled containers; staff indicated the residential allowance for two 35‑gallon cans remains and said borough attorneys would remove the word “wheels” where that created unintended limits. Carroll also urged tightening language on vermin and varmint protections and on how and when trash bags may be placed outside a dwelling.

Council members acknowledged there are existing properties with two‑yard dumpsters and discussed adding flexible language so those existing installations could remain with public works director approval. Staff and the solicitor said minor clarifications could be handled without re‑advertising the ordinance, but substantive changes would require bringing the draft back to committee and re‑advertising the public hearing. Council suggested adding a delayed effective date (for example three or six months) so property owners and haulers could adapt and the borough could run an outreach campaign.

The hearing included technical discussion on the conversion math: one councilmember explained that four 96‑gallon toters equal roughly 384 gallons and that a cubic yard holds about 200 gallons, which supported the committee’s choice of a three‑cubic‑yard minimum where generation exceeds four toters per week.

Next steps: Council did not adopt the ordinance at the hearing. Members agreed to take suggested clarifications back to the committee for drafting language that would preserve flexibility for existing dumpster installations, remove unintended vocabulary limits (for example “wheels”), and add clear compliance timelines and outreach steps before any new rules take effect.

Ending: Staff and committee members said they will incorporate the edits and follow up with neighborhood groups and property owners; the ordinance will return to council after committee review and any required re‑advertisement.