LACEY – You could say the township is turning over a new leaf in the way leaves will be collected.
Township Clerk/Business Administrator Veronica Laureigh explained during a recent Township Committee meeting that the township needed to find an alternative to plastic bags for the collection of leaves around the community.
During that session an amendment to Lacey Township Code Section 289-2C Entitled “Designated Recyclable Materials” was passed.
Leaves must be bagged in environmentally friendly biodegradable paper bags with bags left open or in containers no larger than 32 gallons and placed at curbside during leaf pickup program weeks.
The ordinance was necessary to help alleviate several problems. The paper bagged leaves can now be placed directly into wind-rows at the Lacey Compost Site, keeping the township in compliance with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection permit regulations.
“This relates to leaf collection which is a mandatory recyclable product. This spring we will no longer be able to put our leaves out in plastic bags. They will have to go out in disposable paper bags,” Laureigh said.
Laureigh added, “We can see this is coming down from the governor’s office in restricting plastic bags so we will have leaf collection with paper bags.”
“Part of the problem is that we don’t have the manpower to rip open those bags and put them up in a pile to make sure they we don’t get fined by the DEP,” she added.
She added that the ordinance eliminates the need for Public Works employees to have to “unbag” the leaves from plastic bags and then dispose of those bags; and also aids in keeping storm drains cleaner, therefore helping the Township to stay in compliance with State Department of Environmental Protection Stormwater rules and regulations.
This autumn, Laureigh noted that there will be three curbside leaf collection cycles. The first collection cycle begins on November 9, the second on November 23 and the final collection cycle will start on December 7.
Homeowners must:
- Place your leaves at curbside prior to the first day of each cycle.
- Leaves must be bagged in environmentally friendly biodegradable paper bags or containers no larger than 32 gallons.
- No tree branches, acorns or other debris – leaves only (pine needles are leaves)
- If we come to your street and your leaves were not out on the first collection cycle, we will not be back until the next collection begins.
- Do not rake leaves into a pile at curbside & Do Not Rake them into the Street
It takes the Public Works Department about two weeks to complete each cycle. After the 3rd Collection, Residents are required to bring their leaves into the Recycling Center during normal operating hours.
The Leaf Collection Schedule is printed in the current Recycling Calendar. Residents can bring leaves to the Recycling Center throughout the year during normal hours of operation, Monday thru Friday 7 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Also noted during the meeting was the issue of two barricades on portions of Earie Way between Witcombe and Argon. “The first barricade has been up a good 20 years the second barricade went up about 10 years ago,” Laureigh said.
“There are residents that live in the Hidden Lake subdivision that are requesting that due to new homes being built on Earie Way (the barricades) be moved so that people can come in off of Witcombe.”
She added, “I don’t really see a purpose to remove that barricade. These residents in Hidden Lake would prefer to not have traffic going through their development. I guess you guys need to do a drive by and take a look at it. I think before we remove any barricade we should obviously survey some of the residents there and see what the impact would be.”
“At no time will we be putting a road there so even if we remove the barricade it won’t improve the situation,” Laureigh added.
An ordinance revising a filed map for a portion of block 1739 involving a drainage easement was also on the agenda. “This map was filed well over 20 years ago and it inadvertently has the wrong drainage map on it. I’m looking to remove this map as it is unnecessary and not needed and the correct map to be filed,” Laureigh explained to the governing body. The mayor and committee voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance.
Also approved was a salary setting ordinance for the director of the township’s public works department. The current director has been serving in an interim status as of November 2019. “We are increasing his salary by $5,000,” she said.
The Township Committee also voted to approve an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of property on Calvin Street purchased from the owner for $4,500.
