[Adopted 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. 23-61]
The purpose of this article is to establish requirements for
the proper handling of yard waste in Township of Bloomfield (the Township),
so as to protect public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe
penalties for the failure to comply.
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein
unless their use in the text of this chapter clearly demonstrates
a different meaning. When consistent with the context, words used
in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural
number include the singular number, and words used in the singular
number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory
and not merely directory.
The placement of yard waste in a biodegradable bag such as
to prevent the yard waste from spilling or blowing out into the street
and coming into contact with stormwater.
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm,
association, or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal
authority.
Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, parkway, viaduct, drive,
or other way, which is an existing state, county, or municipal roadway,
and includes the land between the street lines, whether improved or
unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, curbs,
sidewalks, parking areas, and other areas within the street lines.
Leaves and grass clippings.
A.
The owner or occupant of any property, or any employee or contractor
of such owner or occupant engaged to provide lawn care or landscaping
services, shall not sweep, rake, blow or otherwise place yard waste,
unless the yard waste is containerized, in the street. If yard waste
that is not containerized is placed in the street, the party responsible
for placement of yard waste must remove the yard waste from the street
or said party shall be deemed in violation of this article. Under
a "Cut It and Leave It" program, the Township now encourages you to
cut your grass and leave it on the lawn to help fertilize it and retain
moisture. This process is also known as "grasscycling," meaning natural
recycling of grass clippings.
B.
Biodegradable bag collection.
(1)
The Township regulations require that brush, branches, yard raking
and other vegetative matter be placed in biodegradable bags only for
collection by the Township. Pickups will be made on the same day as
recycling pickups. Leaves shall be placed in biodegradable bags only
for curbside pickup by the Township during the periods of October
15 through December 31 and April 1 through May 15 of each year.
(2)
Biodegradable bags with leaves will not be picked up during the winter
months, January 1 through March 31. Instead, Christmas trees will
be picked up in January and the repair of potholes and other work
will be performed during this period.
(3)
Soft vegetative waste collection will resume in the spring.
A.
Any person, firm or organization found guilty of violating a provision
of this article shall, upon conviction, forfeit and pay a fine of
$75 for the first offense, $150 for the second offense and, for the
third and any subsequent offenses, shall be subject to one or more
of the following: a minimum fine of $250 but not exceeding $1,250,
a term of imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a period of community
service not exceeding 90 days. In addition to the foregoing penalties,
where a container includes designated recycling material mixed with
solid waste, the container will not be collected.
B.
Fines levied and collected pursuant to the provisions of this article
shall be immediately deposited into the Municipal Recycling Trust
Fund (or equivalent).
