[Amended 6-27-1974 by Ord. No. 1181; 4-4-1990 by Ord. No.
1535; 6-5-2008 by Ord. No. 1822]
The City Council deems it in the best interest
of the citizens of the City of Watervliet to codify the rules and
regulations, heretofore promulgated by the Office of the General Manager
and the Department of Public Works, providing for the preparation,
collection, and removal of refuse in the City.
In connection with the refuse collection system
introduced in the City of Watervliet in 1974, there is hereby enacted
a curbside collection program to provide for a weekly collection of
garbage, trash, and other refuse.
A.
The City shall provide weekly curbside collection and removal of
garbage and trash. Only household garbage that is generated by residents
of the City of Watervliet shall be collected. "Household garbage"
is defined as household waste that is generated from normal everyday
living. This service is available at no charge to residential dwellings
of fewer than five units.
B.
Preparation and placement of materials for collection; specifications for containers. Each person offering household garbage for collection shall place such household garbage in plastic bag(s) and place such plastic bag(s) in a garbage container. The garbage container(s) shall be placed on the curb or alley level in a readily accessible place on the day of collection. A garbage container shall not be placed out on the curb or alley level until 4:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup day. Within 12 hours of the actual collection by the City, each garbage container(s) shall be removed from the street or alley as mandated by § 244-3 of Chapter 244, Streets and Sidewalks. Garbage container(s) shall not again be placed on the street or alley level until 4:00 p.m. on the day before the next regular collection.
C.
Except as set forth in § 168-1.2D, acceptable garbage containers shall be limited to (1) plastic tipper carts capable of being latched to a garbage collection vehicle with a capacity not to exceed 96 gallons with a flip cover and wheels; or (2) plastic or metal garbage receptacles with tight fighting covers. Any plastic or metal garbage receptable offered for collection must have a tightly fitted cover and shall not exceed 50 pounds. Any garbage container not meeting the requirements set forth in this § 168-1.2 shall not be collected.
D.
Notwithstanding the requirement of § 168-1.2C, the acceptable garbage container for units in a dwelling containing one or more units, including single family residences and multiunit residences as defined in this chapter, where at least one unit in such dwelling is not owner-occupied, shall be limited to plastic tipper carts capable of being latched to a garbage collection vehicle with a capacity not to exceed 96 gallons with a flip cover and wheels. Any garbage container not meeting the requirements set forth in this § 168-1.2D shall not be collected.
E.
Each unit offering household garbage for collection by the City of
Watervliet shall be allowed not more than two garbage containers and
the City of Watervliet shall not collect more than two garbage containers
from any unit.
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law provided an effective date of
January 1, 2024.
A.
Garbage, which shall include all kitchen wastes of
animal and vegetable matter, paper, boxes, rags, leather and all rubbish
which it is possible to burn, shall be securely wrapped in paper and
shall be placed in separate metal containers.
B.
Rubbish, which shall include ashes of coal and wood
fuel, gravel, bottles, cans, glass, metals, crockery and other refuse
or rubbish which it is impossible to burn, shall be placed in separate
metal containers.
C.
Grass, leaves and other yard waste and debris shall
be placed in biodegradable paper bags approved for such use and/or
made available by the City and placed at curbside for collection on
the designated collection day.
[Amended 4-4-1990 by Ord. No. 1535]
All low-refuse-producing businesses will be allowed curbside or alley level refuse collection if the amount of refuse produced by said business is 100 pounds or less. If a business produces more than the household refuse limit of 100 pounds per week as provided in § 168-1.2 of this chapter, the business will be allowed to participate in the curbside collection program by purchasing from the City two, ninety-five-gallon containers and paying a yearly fee as determined by the City Council. All garbage must be placed in plastic bags and placed into the ninety-five-gallon containers. Business garbage will be picked up in accordance with the schedule provided in §§ 168-1.2B and 168-2.2 of this chapter. Placement of the ninety-five-gallon containers will be at the discretion of the City Manager or his designee. Any business that produces more refuse per week than 190 pounds of garbage (i.e., more than two, ninety-five-gallon containers) will have the option to pay a fee per year as determined by the City Council for each additional ninety-five-gallon container or not participate in the collection program and utilize the services of a private contractor, at the business' own expense, for the removal of its refuse.
Any dwelling containing five units or more shall, for the purpose of this article, be considered a multiunit residence or multiple dwelling, including dwellings where one or more units are used for commercial or office purposes, and shall not be served hereunder. There shall be a yearly per-unit surcharge for all multiunit residences as determined by the City Council. This surcharge shall be applied to each unit exceeding four units in the multiunit residence. Property owners or their designees shall choose among the following options: contract with a private refuse company for all refuse and recyclable removal; or enter into an agreement with the City to provide refuse/recyclable removal and pay the above mentioned surcharge. Refuse/recyclable collection for multiunit residences shall be in accordance with this section and § 168-1.2B of this chapter.
A.
The areas, routes, and days of collection shall be
determined by the General Manager and shall consist of the following
schedule:
(3)
Wednesday: Section 3 north of 15th Street to 19th Street (both sides) to include 12th Avenue, Hillside Drive and Wiswall Avenue.
(4)
Thursday: Section 4 north of 19th Street to 25th Street to include 10th Avenue, 11th Avenue, Glen Avenue and Ball Place.
(5)
Friday: The City will pick up grass clippings
from April through November.
B.
Exceptions. When a refuse pickup day falls on a Monday
holiday, the refuse will be picked up on the following Tuesday. When
a refuse pickup day falls on a Tuesday through Thursday holiday, the
pickup day will be on the preceding Friday.
[Amended 10-1-2020 by Ord. No. 2035; 5-5-2022 by Ord. No. 3-2022]
"Bulk items" in the City of Watervliet shall be defined as waste
that requires special handling, including, but not limited to, couches,
chairs, mattresses, tables, appliances, lumber, carpets, and padding.
Residents of the City of Watervliet will be allowed to bring their
bulk items to a designated location to be selected by the General
Manager at no cost once per year. The date for the bulk items dropoff
shall also be selected by the General Manager. Residents shall be
required to show proof of residency at the designated bulk items dropoff
location. Residents of the City of Watervliet shall also be allowed
to place bulk items for curbside collection by the City of Watervliet.
For curbside collection of bulk items, residents must schedule a date
for curbside collection to be determined by the General Manger at
the City Clerk's office, show proof of residency, and pay a fee of
$35. Bulk items shall be placed on the curb in front of the property
or alley level in a readily accessible place at 7:00 p.m. the night
before the scheduled pickup. Bulk items that would fit into an area
of four feet wide by eight feet long will be allowed for pickup. Items
that fill up more than the above-described dimensions will not be
picked up.
All private refuse contractors must annually obtain a permit from the City of Watervliet to remove refuse from any establishment within the City limits. There shall be a yearly permit fee as determined by the City Council. All private contractors must purchase a medallion/sticker per truck from the City for each refuse truck utilized within the City limits at a price to be determined by the City Council. Refuse must be picked up by a private contractor in accordance with the schedule set forth in § 168-1.2C above. All private contractors must maintain records as to the refuse that is picked up in the City. The General Manger shall report to the City Council on the last Council meeting each year to review the records of the private contractors.
The curbside collection program is intended
as a benefit for the residents of the City of Watervliet. No person,
business or any other entity, including residents, shall transport
garbage, refuse, recyclables or bulk items into the municipal boundaries
of the City of Watervliet for the purpose of leaving such items for
curbside collection. Residents and businesses shall be prohibited
from accepting imported garbage, refuse, recyclables or bulk items
to their property or residence from outside the City with the intent
that such garbage, refuse, recyclables or bulk items will be removed
by the City of Watervliet Department of Public Works.
A.
A person, agent, operator, firm, association, organization, partnership, company, corporation, beneficiary, trust, trustee, and all other persons having a legal or equitable interest in the residence or other private property or recorded in the official records of the state, county or municipality as holding title to the property or otherwise having control of the property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court, which shall knowingly and willingly violate or assist in the violation of the provisions of this article or who or which fails to comply with a lawful directive from the Building Department, Department of Public Works, and General Manger of the City of Watervliet concerning the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a penalty as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, General Penalty.
B.
Containers that are in a dilapidated or unsanitary
condition, are oversized or otherwise do not conform to the requirements
set forth herein shall be removed by the Department of Public Works
upon the violator's failure, along with written notice, to do so.
C.
In determining violations concerning multiple dwellings,
the Building Inspector shall have the power, discretion and duty,
after due investigation, to apportion liability between or among the
property owner and residents responsible therefor.
The General Manager is hereby authorized to
promulgate such other rules and regulations as may be necessary to
effectuate and supplement the provisions of this article, including
the imposition, collection, and increase of fees to offset and defray
the costs and expenses involved in the curbside collection program
and in correcting and/or alleviating violations of the provisions
hereof.
If any section, provision, clause or other part
of this article is declared unconstitutional or otherwise ineffective
by a court of competent jurisdiction, such determination shall not
be deemed to invalidate the remaining parts hereof, and to that extent,
the article shall remain in full force and effect.
This article shall take effect immediately.
