Important Message from the Director of Neighborhood Services
After touring most of the Township over the past couple of weeks, it appears that residents are still placing piles of brush at the street for collection. Brush collection for all Zones has been completed. No additional brush collections are scheduled for the remainder of 2016. The brush collection schedule for 2017 will be posted in January 2017. We do anticipate two collections in 2017, one in the Spring and one in late Summer/early Fall as we did this year.
Residents who still have placed brush piles in front of their homes for collection are required to remove this material as soon as possible. Township Code states that “All brush shall be stored on a resident's property and shall not be placed at the roadside earlier than 10 days preceding the Monday of the scheduled collection week.” Therefore, as the Brush Collection program has concluded for 2016, this material should not be stored in front yards.
Residents may bring their brush to the DPW Facility on Commonwealth Drive for disposal any Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, and every third Saturday of the month from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, excluding holidays. Residents must show proof of residency. (Contractors are not permitted to dispose of any material at the DPW yard.)
Brush piles placed at the street or on front yard properties degrade the appearance of the community and create an unnecessary fire and safety hazard. Additionally, brush piles placed at the street or on the cul-de-sacs create safety concerns and unnecessary delays for the crews who have begun leaf collection efforts, and may also impede snow plowing efforts over the winter.
Residents who fail to remove their brush from the street will be cited accordingly. Chapter 49-1 of the Township Code titled “Brush, Grass, and Weeds” states “It shall be unlawful for any owner or owners, occupant or occupants, tenant or tenants of any lot or tract of land situate within the limits of the Township of Medford to permit or maintain on any such lot or tract of land any brush, weeds, including ragweed, dead and dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash and debris injurious to the public health, safety and general welfare or where the same shall tend to create a fire hazard or where the same may tend to interfere with the orderly flow of surface waters across said lands.” These Township Codes will be strictly enforced. The Township will also investigate and enforce any dumping of brush on Township owned property and open space.
Please share this message with your neighbors in an effort to avoid future enforcement action. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your help in making Medford a safe and attractive community for everyone to enjoy.
Richard Parks, CPWM
Director of Neighborhood Services