Woodfin hears residents' complaints over years-long missed trash pickup at Chimneycrest condominiums

Residents of a 12-unit condominium on Chimneycrest Drive told the Woodfin Town Council on Jan. 21 that they have missed trash and recycling pickups for weeks and months since private contractors replaced the town's former collector.

“At worst, we have had trash pile up for weeks and been left behind,” said Marcia Posner‑Thompson, who gave her address to the council. She told council members the complex had a long history of curbside pickup, and that her building is now the only group on the mountain not picked up by the town’s route.

Other residents described repeated calls to private haulers with no resolution. “We have had our headaches and misinformation and miscommunication for the past two years,” said Donna Shehayev. Resident Monty English said the complex spends thousands on property upkeep but receives little municipal service.

Town Manager Shannon Tuck and other staff said the town revised its solid‑waste rules and service model after purchasing new collection trucks and issuing roll‑out cans in 2022; that review identified properties previously receiving town service but not meeting the ordinance’s eligibility standards. Tuck said the town discontinued service to those properties in late 2022 and 2023 as part of implementation of the updated rules.

Tuck told the council she and staff had already tried to reach the contractor now serving the area, FCC (and previously Waste Pro), and that there has been inconsistent mapping and scheduling for the Chimneycrest address. She said the contractor has told staff it lacked the property on its service map.

Council members and staff discussed immediate and longer‑term options. Town staff agreed to pursue contact with FCC and with Buncombe County’s intergovernmental staff to resolve contractual or routing issues, and council members asked staff to treat the residents’ lack of collection as urgent.

As a short‑term response while the town seeks to restore regular service from the private hauler, council members asked staff to provide interim assistance. Staff agreed to deliver 12 roll‑out trash receptacles to the complex and to provide town collection as a temporary measure while staff attempts to secure regular service by the contractor. Residents were asked to email unit numbers and a contact to town staff so the deliveries and interim collection can be scheduled.

Council members and staff also discussed long‑term policy consistency. Town staff reminded the council that the town’s current ordinance limits regular town collection to single‑family residences and to multifamily properties of four units or fewer; larger multifamily developments and many commercial properties are expected to arrange private collection or dumpsters. Several council members said they would not recommend reopening the town’s eligibility standard for all multifamily properties but that staff should work to resolve contractor routing and any contractual issues that are preventing pickups.

Mayor McAllister thanked the residents for coming and said staff would follow up. The council did not take a formal vote on a policy change; instead, staff were directed to attempt an immediate operational fix and a contractor‑level resolution and to report back to council at the next regular meeting.

Ending: Residents said the interim solution — delivery of barrels and temporary town pickup — would address immediate needs, while staff pursue a lasting routing or contractor solution with FCC and Buncombe County.