Yard Waste

Residents may place regular amounts of yard waste out for collection on their regular garbage collection day to be picked up by the City. 

If anyone (resident, business, or nonprofit) uses a contractor or landscape contractor to trim or cut trees or any yard work, that contractor is responsible for removal of the debris that they generate (including grass clippings, bulk leaves, tree trimmings, etc.).

Yard waste - i.e. brush, limbs, leaves and grass clippings can be piled curbside for pickup but not within the street or on the sidewalk. Do not place stumps, root balls,  rocks, logs longer than 8' and 18" in diameter in the piles.  We pick up a maximum of two cubic yards per week. These items must be piled together in a single concise pile not to exceed 4' x 4' x 12' and be kept 3' away from vehicles, utility poles, fences or other structuresexcept during bulk leaf collection season when leaves must be in a separate pile. The material will be hauled to our yard waste facility and ground into mulch. All leaves and/or miscellaneous yard waste must be piled curbside, the City DOES NOT pick up bagged yard waste.

Bulk leaf collection - the spring season starts at the beginning of March and runs through the end of the month. The fall season typically starts in October and ends in December. 

Loose leaves must be piled at the curbside, not in the street or on the sidewalk, for collection. During bulk leaf season, all leaves must be free of tree limbs, rocks, bottles or other objects that may damage collection equipment. It is not necessary to call the Public Works Department. Removal crews routinely check each City street for piles of leaves.

View our Environmental Resources Guide [PDF] and access additional information about our services. For our customers who prefer Spanish, view the Environmental Resources Guide - Spanish version [PDF].

Keep an eye out for our regular mulch and leaf compost give away events.

For residents who are interested in composting at home, check out this guide provided by the NC Department of Environmental Quality.