By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
September Killy-Knight is a “proud townie.” But when she walks downtown with out-of-town guests, she is often embarrassed. “The aesthetics and charm of our town are being compromised,” by a problem that can easily be solved, she told Bowling Green City Council Monday evening.
In case there was any question, Lori Young showed council photos of the problem – home after home with garbage containers in their front yards, bags of garbage on porches, dumpsters in front yards, upholstered furniture sitting outside.
“This is a growing issue,” Young said.
A council committee aware of the problems met before Monday’s council meeting to go over proposed revisions to the city’s refuse and recycling collection ordinance. But many of the citizens at the meeting felt the changes did not go far enough.
“A lot of people are concerned about placement of a lot of cans,” council member John Zanfardino said. “We do want to set some limits.”
During a recent drive around the city, Zanfardino said he saw “slum-like” settings with garbage in front yards. “It’s really detrimental to our neighborhoods.”
“When I see an overflowing garbage can by the front porch, that’s terrible,” council member Robert McOmber said.
But the proposal made Monday night did not ban garbage containers in front yards.
Diane Vogtsberger asked why the revised ordinance didn’t require the cans to be kept in back of dwellings. “That’s a no brainer,” she said.
Zanfardino said he “was trying to find a middle ground.”
But none of the citizens who spoke at the meeting wanted that compromise to include garbage cans in front yards – maybe side yards if no other space was available – but definitely not in front yards.
“Painful as it might be, strict enforcement with some good fines,” might be in order to get people to obey the new rules, Vogtsberger said.
Les Barber suggested that garbage containers on the side of homes could possibly be screened by fences or shrubbery. If not, they should be stored in garages or behind homes, he said.
Young proposed that people be held accountable, and garbage violations be made public.
Council members Daniel Gordon, John Zanfardino and Robert McOmber look over diagram for trash ordinance.
Zanfardino said Perrysburg’s ordinance requires that garbage containers not be placed in a visually unattractive manner to neighbors.
But BG Public Works Director Brian Craft said “a college town is somewhat different,” and setting rules based on whether or not something is “offensive,” would create a “gray, fuzzy area,” he said.
Craft pointed out that Bowling Green’s ordinance allows for residents who are physically handicapped to keep trash containers in easily accessible locations. “We don’t want to limit someone like that,” he said.
Council member Daniel Gordon suggested that exceptions be granted for people who would have a hardship keeping trash containers further from the streets. But Craft cautioned that allowing too many exceptions could be a slippery slope.
“I don’t want to be the guy who goes out and decides Bob gets an exception, but you don’t,” Craft said.
Quite often the problem involves young college students, who are physically able, but just don’t want to pull their garbage containers any further than their front porches.
“If we don’t address that, we’re just letting down property owners,” Zanfardino said.
Young pointed out that BGSU’s mission statement includes the goal of “creating responsible citizens.” The city can help with the goal by sending out reminders and fines to student renters. “If they don’t have parameters, they do whatever they want,” Young said.
“There is more regulation that is needed,” Ginny Stewart said, noting communities that already have strict garbage ordinances. “Their neighborhoods present a positive image.”
Rose Hess gave council a list of 25 cities in Ohio with ordinances that ban garbage containers in front yards. “We’re not alone in dealing with this issue,” she said. Some of those cities are college towns.
“They don’t belong there,” in front yards, Hess said. “We have to become more visually appealing.”
Hess credited Craft with making a positive change in her neighborhood simply by making the rounds and knocking on doors.
Craft was asked to take the suggestions from residents and revise the proposed ordinance again.
Council member Sandy Rowland suggested that the rules be less complicated. “I would like to make it as simple as possible,” she said, by requiring that all garbage containers be kept behind homes, and only allowed on the sides if absolutely necessary.
“I have confidence we are going to get this right,” Gordon said.
The updated refuse and recycling collection ordinance also included other proposed changes, such as:
- Definition of brush.
- Clarification of recycling policy and materials being recycled.
- Definition of large item collection rules.
- Clarification that grass clippings and sod be eliminated.
Craft also explained that the revised ordinance addresses the need for trash containers to be placed at the curb with the opening facing the road, and that the containers cannot be filled above the rim.
“The wind will start to blow and it will open up all the way,” then it could be snapped off by the truck as it picks up the container, Craft said. “Taxpayer dollars are used for that.”
Craft said when the refuse truck drivers try to pick up containers with a “pyramid of stuff sitting three feet high,” they often have to go out and clean up the mess. So the new rules will state that any container that has trash above the rim will not be picked up.
“I know it sounds harsh, but where do you draw the line,” Craft said.
“People are used to doing it,” so they will be given some time to adjust, he added.
