Council directs staff to draft trash ordinance after months of complaints about bulk setouts

Council discussion focused for nearly an hour on recurring trash and bulk-pickup problems in Runnemede neighborhoods and how to translate enforcement and common-sense controls into ordinance language.

Council members and staff described multiple complaints about houses repeatedly putting out dozens of bags or bulk items, difficulties distinguishing homeowner cleanouts from construction debris, and limits in the current ordinance that leave enforcement unclear. Several council members said the problem included some properties that appear to host reselling or flipping activity and others where residents repeatedly place large volumes of trash at the curb.

Council discussed typical municipal approaches used elsewhere (limiting the number of 32-gallon cans per weekly collection, specifying rules for bulk-item pickups or requiring permits/dumpster use for construction debris) and weighed the risk that a broad limit could inadvertently penalize large households or legitimate cleanouts. Code-enforcement staff and the solicitor were asked to identify language that targets abuse (habitual commercial-style disposal, unpermitted construction debris) while preserving reasonable accommodations (bulk-pickup days, permit requests).

Council agreed to ask the solicitor and staff to prepare ordinance language for a first reading at the next meeting; staff said they would circulate a draft prior to the meeting so members can review proposed limits, enforcement steps and potential exemptions.

Next steps: staff will work with the solicitor to prepare and circulate draft ordinance language for consideration at the next council meeting; council members signaled a preference for a time-limited review and public notice before adoption.