Dumping yard waste in common areas

Most of our HOA deeded common areas serve as drainage areas for the subdivision and are either fields of thick brush/weeds or wooded in landscape.

I was driving to a homeowner's property last week and noticed a homeowner and her son pulling a tarp full of yard waste (grass clippings, tree branches, etc.) on the sidewalk next to a common area. She, with her son, then start to dump the waste into the common area.

I rolled down my window and explained to her that homeowners need to have yard waste removed on their own and not use the common areas as dumping grounds. She gave me a whole cock and bull story on how it's organic matter and creates a natural habitat for wildlife, etc. I told her if she is so fond of creating such a space, she should do so in her own backyard, not on common area.

Because my HOA has been defunct for so long, the other Board members seem to be dis-interested in the whole situation but are happy I said something.

How would you have handled this situation? What are HOA's out there doing to prevent homeowners from dumping waste into common areas?

It depends on the circumstances. If it is a natural wooded area with plenty of acreage, I wouldn't care. If it's a small area and has a potential of more yard waste being left than nature can keep up with, then it would be an issue.