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Board holds first reading of ordinance to bar grass and yard waste from streets to protect Lake Winnebago
Summary
At first reading, the Village Board reviewed Ordinance 2025-07 to amend Village Ordinance 10.06(4)(a) to explicitly address grass clippings and yard debris in streets, citing stormwater and phosphorus impacts to Lake Winnebago; officials said education will precede enforcement.
The Village Board of North Fond du Lac held a first reading on June 16 of Ordinance 2025-07, which would amend Village Ordinance 10.06(4)(a) to make clear that blowing grass clippings and yard waste into streets is prohibited.
Mitch Vis, the Village’s Director of Public Works, told the board that grass clippings and lawn debris that are blown into the street “end up going directly into the storm sewer and ultimately into Lake Winnebago.” He said the change would make it easier for staff to address the issue and cited Department of Natural Resources guidance about the high phosphorus content of such debris.
Administrator Nick Leonard said the proposed change was not prompted by a single complaint but by the need to clarify existing rules; he said the Village intends to emphasize public education before issuing any citations under the clarified ordinance language. The item was presented as a first reading; no adoption vote was taken at this meeting.
If adopted at a later meeting the ordinance would give staff clearer authority to address yard-waste practices that affect stormwater runoff into Lake Winnebago. The board did not set a date for a second reading or final action during the June 16 session.
