An unidentified announcer for Coeur d'Alene said the city will begin its annual Leaf Fest neighborhood leaf pickup on Nov. 12, starting in the south end of the city and working northward through Dec. 1. The street maintenance department said it expects to collect more than 2,000 tons of leaves and about 800 truckloads during the program.

The program, called Leaf Fest, is intended to keep nutrient runoff out of Lake Coeur d'Alene and to reduce landfill disposal by reusing collected material as mulch, the speaker said. "100% of the leaves, over 2,500,000 pounds, are mulched for reuse as ground cover, rather than going into the landfill," the announcer said.

City staff asked residents to help the effort by raking leaves at least one foot away from the curb so storm drains and catch basins do not become clogged, and by moving vehicles off streets scheduled for pickup. The announcement cautioned residents not to place bagged leaves in the street and not to mix branches, garden trimmings or other debris with leaves, because crews will make only one pass through each neighborhood.

The speaker also warned that leaf removal vehicles will be working in neighborhoods and asked drivers to slow down and allow extra space around equipment. The city noted that Leaf Fest trucks are allowed to travel without covered loads during the collection period, so debris may be blown from trucks; street sweepers will follow to clear remaining material.

For more information, the announcement directed residents to cdaid.org/leafpickup or to call the Streets and Engineering Department at (208) 769-2235. The city said residents should not place leaves in the street after their neighborhood has been completed.

The program's schedule and the request that residents prepare treeside and vehicle clearance were presented as operational guidance rather than a formal city decision requiring additional action or approval.