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West Chester schedules May 20 public hearing on trash ordinance; residents raise concerns about 96-gallon tote rule
Summary
The committee scheduled a May 20 public hearing on proposed Chapter 62 changes (trash/recycling) that would limit recycling cans relative to trash totes and standardize commercial tote sizes at 96 gallons; a resident asked whether smaller containers (50 gallons) should be allowed for some users.
The Public Works Committee approved scheduling a public hearing on revisions to Chapter 62 (garbage, rubbish and refuse) for May 20, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in Bremer Hall Chambers to consider rules that would standardize tote and dumpster requirements.
Committee discussion clarified draft language: staff said the revision ties commercial calculations to standardized 96-gallon totes (four 96-gallon totes = two cubic yards) and that for every two trash totes a property uses, it may have one recycling can. Committee members pointed out a draft sentence that reads "maximum capacity of 2 cubic yards" should read "minimum capacity of 2 cubic yards" for required dumpsters; staff concurred and acknowledged the correction.
A resident commenter, George Neebel (327 South Walnut), urged flexibility: "The way this is written, it says you have to use the 96 gallon. I would say up to or because... So if I wanna use a 50 gallon, because I don't need 96, it says here I can't," he said. Committee members responded that commercial totes are standardized at 96 gallons and that the rule is aimed at commercial properties that generate large volumes.
The hearing was scheduled and committee members asked staff to confirm wording fixes and post RCO/bid documentation for related items. The transcript does not include a recorded roll-call vote for the scheduling motion beyond the committee statement that the hearing will occur on May 20 at 6:30 p.m.
