Councilmember Woods introduces changes to Mobile garbage-cart rules in first reading

Councilmember Woods introduced an amendment to Chapter 25 of the Mobile City Code in a first reading at the Mobile City Council meeting, proposing new limits on when household garbage carts may be placed at the curb and changes to enforcement penalties.

The ordinance (filed as 25018 on the meeting agenda) would clarify that residents may place carts at the curb no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before collection and that carts must be returned to the property by 6 a.m. the morning after collection. Woods said the current ordinance language reads “not before 6 a.m. collection day” with a return deadline of 11:59 p.m. collection day and that the proposed language better matches common practice.

Woods said the proposal also revises penalties. He described lowering the fine for an initial offense to $50 and said he removed language that allowed for up to three months’ jail time for leaving a cart out. “I did remove the language of going to jail for up to 3 months because I'll be honest with you, leaving your garbage cart out, I don't think you should go to jail for 3 months,” Woods said. He also said repeat offenders would still face increased penalties and potential community service as provided in the ordinance.

Woods told colleagues he expects to make a few amendments before the ordinance returns for final consideration. The item was presented as a first reading; no final vote was recorded at this meeting.

The council president asked administration whether they were comfortable with the draft; administration indicated yes. The council will consider Woods’s revisions and return the ordinance to the agenda for a later vote.

The amendments were introduced during the ordinances portion of the meeting and are scheduled to return for additional changes and formal action.