Homeowners dumping yard waste on HOA green space

BrettH3 (South Carolina)
Posts: 47

Posted:

I have a few homeowners who consistently dump their yard waste on HOA green space, claiming it is not trash because it is, eventually, biodegradable. We have nothing in our trash rules and regulations against dumping yard waste and the homeowner states it is acceptable to dump yard waste on private property! I have contacted the county because I cannot find a regulation. What do you suggest?

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

If you don't have a rule, have you considered establishing one?

Start with checking your documents to see if they give the board the authority to enact additional rules. since you already have trash rules, that shouldn't be difficult.

It's always helpful to get homeowner buy-in on rule changes, so do your homework. How much of this stuff is being dumped on the common areas? are she areas more vulnerable than others? Is it killing the grass thats there or being blown into the street, creating a traffic hazard? How much is it costing the association to pick up this stuff if it results in higher assessments, say so and give the numbers - that may get lots of people on your side).

And ask for alternative approaches. Perhaps what's really needed is a presentation on setting up a compost bin in backyard and the advantages (improve the soil to grow healthier plants for a garden). You could set up rules about that as well (e.g. don't put in things that will attract vermin and make sure the bins are closed to cut the smell).

Oh, try calling the county again , maybe the trash department, and see if there's a program where this type of stuff can be dumped in a central location. Some communities have programs where fallen leaves and other yard waste is collected to be converted to compost and when ready, people can come and collect way they need. It helps the environment and can save money, especially for non profit organizations that sponsor community gardens for food pantries.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Is be happy if i were you. The material does break down and improve the soil. The prqctice of hauling thousands of tona of yard waste to be composted and then hauled back to local gardens is very ineffcient. Doing all composting locally saves society money and makes things grow better

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Shelia has some really good ideas, Brett. You could even survey Owners to get their opinions on this topic. If enough think the practice is unsightly and if it interferes with your landscapers, make a rule and attach fines to it.

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By BrettH3 on 07/28/2022 7:15 AM
I have a few homeowners who consistently dump their yard waste on HOA green space, claiming it is not trash because it is, eventually, biodegradable. We have nothing in our trash rules and regulations against dumping yard waste and the homeowner states it is acceptable to dump yard waste on private property! I have contacted the county because I cannot find a regulation. What do you suggest?

Brett,

Dumping bags of grass clippings on HOA owned property is unacceptable and there wouldn't be a rule that specifically defines dumping yard waste because CC&Rs cannot outline every challenge to be addressed. As part of your grounds maintenance, I'd explore ways to remove the waste, if its built up into piles, and advise the continuing dumping - which is what this is - will result in the Homeowner being billed for cleanup.

Dumping is dumping and there's no privilege to dump waste. The property owners don't want their waste in their own yard. You can't choose to dump on property you don't own.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

We have a local company that does composting. Can call them up and they come pick it up. May want to ask any local botantical or parks if they could use it. Sometimes it can be used for erosion control or other purposes. However, most of the time it is considered waste and can spread disease. Grass and trees do carry diseases. That is why you do not get mulch from tree companies cutting down trees. They have tons of it but most of it is from diseased trees.

I would inform them that NO it is not okay to dump the yard debris even if your opinion supports your stance on it. Get educated on the subject and post it. Yard waste is not necessarily healthy. Best to keep it in your own yard to put it in bags to toss out in garbage.

Former HOA President

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/29/2022 4:33 AM
We have a local company that does composting. Can call them up and they come pick it up. May want to ask any local botantical or parks if they could use it. Sometimes it can be used for erosion control or other purposes. However, most of the time it is considered waste and can spread disease. Grass and trees do carry diseases. That is why you do not get mulch from tree companies cutting down trees. They have tons of it but most of it is from diseased trees.

I would inform them that NO it is not okay to dump the yard debris even if your opinion supports your stance on it. Get educated on the subject and post it. Yard waste is not necessarily healthy. Best to keep it in your own yard to put it in bags to toss out in garbage.

Ignorant fear mongering response.
I get mulch from tree companies no problem. I guess if i wss growing Tree seedlings I might have some reservations but they’re used in my garden which doesn’t grow any trees

also grass clippings don’t carry disease

If that were true every lawn that’s ever been caught would be full of disease correct ?!?

people wondering why the earth is warming

we spend tons of fossil fuels to move perfectly good compost all around and call it waste when it’s actually something that’s a benefit to growing stuff whether that be grass garden trees or other living things that benefit the ecosystem around us and you call it waste?!?

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

However, grass clippings that are dumped into a pile (vs. being spread out) can become an issue.

Solved! The Great Debate on What to Do with Grass Clippings From Bob Vila

Note: From that article:

"Heavy clumps of cut grass left on the lawn could otherwise lead to dead patches, lawn disease, or insect infestation"

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

My trees were diseased with pine beetle. The mulch from them could spread it to whatever it surrounded. Many tree arborist will tell you this mulch is bad from diseased trees.

Grasses carry disease you may not recognize it. I had army worm last year. Nearly everyone had it. It spread due one sod farm having it.

So do not assume it is disease free if you do not know what disease looks like. Plus a pile of it is bad to dump anywhere without spreading it.

Former HOA President

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/29/2022 9:08 AM
My trees were diseased with pine beetle. The mulch from them could spread it to whatever it surrounded. Many tree arborist will tell you this mulch is bad from diseased trees.

Grasses carry disease you may not recognize it. I had army worm last year. Nearly everyone had it. It spread due one sod farm having it.

So do not assume it is disease free if you do not know what disease looks like. Plus a pile of it is bad to dump anywhere without spreading it.

Pine beetles spread to other pine trees not to any and all vegetation they’re not gonna affect Marigold flowers for example or fescue grass

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

And you do not know if the mulch is out under other pine trees? It is just not a good thing to let yard waste set out. Why defending unless do the same thing?

Former HOA President

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/29/2022 10:09 AM
And you do not know if the mulch is out under other pine trees? It is just not a good thing to let yard waste set out. Why defending unless do the same thing?

Mulch is also “waste” and People use it all the time everywhere to help them grows plants. Somewhere crazy Karen started thinking that this was a bad idea unless it was dyed red or black

Yeah i use grass clippings as mulch and many others do too you are just flat out wrong

it’s too bad you’re part of that group

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TimB4 on 07/29/2022 8:36 AM
However, grass clippings that are dumped into a pile (vs. being spread out) can become an issue.

Solved! The Great Debate on What to Do with Grass Clippings From Bob Vila

Note: From that article:

"Heavy clumps of cut grass left on the lawn could otherwise lead to dead patches, lawn disease, or insect infestation"

Do you know what else it could turn into ??? organic compost !!!

people have been recycling like this for thousands of years then Bob Villa comes along with his fear mongering saying it might cause some diseases oh my goodness what buffoonery

JohnT38 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,631

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MarkR21 on 07/29/2022 10:58 AM

Posted By TimB4 on 07/29/2022 8:36 AM
However, grass clippings that are dumped into a pile (vs. being spread out) can become an issue.

Solved! The Great Debate on What to Do with Grass Clippings From Bob Vila

Note: From that article:

"Heavy clumps of cut grass left on the lawn could otherwise lead to dead patches, lawn disease, or insect infestation"

Do you know what else it could turn into ??? organic compost !!!

people have been recycling like this for thousands of years then Bob Villa comes along with his fear mongering saying it might cause some diseases oh my goodness what buffoonery

Well since it works so great the homeowners can dump it in their yards and enjoy luscious green yards.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Ok, Mark, we know you disagree with some of what's said here, but you really need to calm down. Brett said the homeowners are dumping this stuff in the common area, which is wrong because common means everyone in that community owns it. Do what you like in your own yard, but when it comes to the common area, everyone's responsible for using it appropriately. Did you see anything where these people asked the Board if it was ok to dump their stuff in this manner?

You are correct that composting is becoming popular, but some folks do it correctly and others don't. For those of you who'd like to educate yourself on the subject, you may want to see if there are recycling or beautification programs in your community that can provide some tips. Or you can check out this website. From there, perhaps you might want to consider some sort of program that will help the soil in your common areas, which will lead to happier and healthier plants, which results in a more attractive community...and maybe an increase in those property values everyone obsesses about. Enjoy!

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home#:~:text=Your%20compost%20pile%20should%20have,break%20down%20the%20organic%20matter.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Lol you actually think they are dumping clippings in the middle of a manicured lawn? They are dumping them on the edge or in the woods. No ones that obtuse

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Did the OP say anything about woods? (I know I wear glasses, but damn, I don't think my eyesight is THAT bad)

I don't care if it's the woods, a freshly cut lawn, or the swimming pool.. if you dump your trash in an area it's not supposed to be in, it's wrong. Too many people go about doing whatever the hell they want because they want to, and the big bad HOA board are a bunch of nazis anyway.

Stop being so contrary - you're the type that make board members quit in disgust. At least TRY to make a productive suggestion, geez.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

JohnT38 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,631

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 07/30/2022 5:45 AM
Did the OP say anything about woods? (I know I wear glasses, but damn, I don't think my eyesight is THAT bad)

I don't care if it's the woods, a freshly cut lawn, or the swimming pool.. if you dump your trash in an area it's not supposed to be in, it's wrong. Too many people go about doing whatever the hell they want because they want to, and the big bad HOA board are a bunch of nazis anyway.

Stop being so contrary - you're the type that make board members quit in disgust. At least TRY to make a productive suggestion, geez.

It's easier for him to deflect the blame than to consider that some people are just too lazy to bag their clippings and that they could give a rat's ass about the benefits of organic compost.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Let me tell you a reality... Our ex-president, lawncare, and various owners used an wooded area. It was kind of a "No man's land". It was near our dumpsters. It was a wooded patch that bordered our common area and neighborhood next door. The way it laid out there was not any houses/yard there directly on either side. Heard it was used as a cut through by the kids going to the elementary school sometimes.

One day get a letter in the mail from the city. It appears someone did own that land. They reported it to the city for illegal dumping. We had 10 days to clean it up or face a 10 THOUSAND dollar fine!!! The fine would go up the longer we let the situation go. I had to ask for an extension so we got 20 days.

We had to rent a dumpster ($500) plus pay for whatever weight was to be dumped. Think it was around $2K to clean it up. That took 4 - 5 volunteers including myself 2 days to clean up. The 2nd day nearly lost all my volunteers because it looked quite hopeless. I had to sneak over an hour early to crush things down to make it look like we had made progress. Otherwise my people would have walked...

Mind you the Ex-President and the others that contributed to the mess did NOT show up. (Another reason I do not speak his name). There was also debris there left over from the original development. Those were large trees that were cut down could not move.

So you say "what is a little yard waste being dumped matter"??? Well in our case 10 THOUSAND dollar fine or spending 2 days 2K cleaning up the mess. It was still in contention if it was our common area or not. Did not matter. The city put down the hammer on dumping yard wastes.

Why can you not put your yard waste in your yard or in a trash can? It does NOT belong in common area. That is every owner's area. It is NOT just yours. It spreads things and can cause danger. How do you know there is not broken glass in it?

Former HOA President

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JohnT38 on 07/30/2022 6:35 AM

Posted By SheliaH on 07/30/2022 5:45 AM
Did the OP say anything about woods? (I know I wear glasses, but damn, I don't think my eyesight is THAT bad)

I don't care if it's the woods, a freshly cut lawn, or the swimming pool.. if you dump your trash in an area it's not supposed to be in, it's wrong. Too many people go about doing whatever the hell they want because they want to, and the big bad HOA board are a bunch of nazis anyway.

Stop being so contrary - you're the type that make board members quit in disgust. At least TRY to make a productive suggestion, geez.

It's easier for him to deflect the blame than to consider that some people are just too lazy to bag their clippings and that they could give a rat's ass about the benefits of organic compost.

Lol yeah your idea implying its in the middle of manucured lawn is so predictable

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/30/2022 7:07 AM
Let me tell you a reality... Our ex-president, lawncare, and various owners used an wooded area. It was kind of a "No man's land". It was near our dumpsters. It was a wooded patch that bordered our common area and neighborhood next door. The way it laid out there was not any houses/yard there directly on either side. Heard it was used as a cut through by the kids going to the elementary school sometimes.

One day get a letter in the mail from the city. It appears someone did own that land. They reported it to the city for illegal dumping. We had 10 days to clean it up or face a 10 THOUSAND dollar fine!!! The fine would go up the longer we let the situation go. I had to ask for an extension so we got 20 days.

We had to rent a dumpster ($500) plus pay for whatever weight was to be dumped. Think it was around $2K to clean it up. That took 4 - 5 volunteers including myself 2 days to clean up. The 2nd day nearly lost all my volunteers because it looked quite hopeless. I had to sneak over an hour early to crush things down to make it look like we had made progress. Otherwise my people would have walked...

Mind you the Ex-President and the others that contributed to the mess did NOT show up. (Another reason I do not speak his name). There was also debris there left over from the original development. Those were large trees that were cut down could not move.

So you say "what is a little yard waste being dumped matter"??? Well in our case 10 THOUSAND dollar fine or spending 2 days 2K cleaning up the mess. It was still in contention if it was our common area or not. Did not matter. The city put down the hammer on dumping yard wastes.

Why can you not put your yard waste in your yard or in a trash can? It does NOT belong in common area. That is every owner's area. It is NOT just yours. It spreads things and can cause danger. How do you know there is not broken glass in it?

How do we know theres not nuclear waste in there? Or perhaps the next pandemic virus! Geeze youve got quite the imagination!

MarkR21 (North Carolina)
Posts: 710

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/30/2022 7:07 AM
Let me tell you a reality... Our ex-president, lawncare, and various owners used an wooded area. It was kind of a "No man's land". It was near our dumpsters. It was a wooded patch that bordered our common area and neighborhood next door. The way it laid out there was not any houses/yard there directly on either side. Heard it was used as a cut through by the kids going to the elementary school sometimes.

One day get a letter in the mail from the city. It appears someone did own that land. They reported it to the city for illegal dumping. We had 10 days to clean it up or face a 10 THOUSAND dollar fine!!! The fine would go up the longer we let the situation go. I had to ask for an extension so we got 20 days.

We had to rent a dumpster ($500) plus pay for whatever weight was to be dumped. Think it was around $2K to clean it up. That took 4 - 5 volunteers including myself 2 days to clean up. The 2nd day nearly lost all my volunteers because it looked quite hopeless. I had to sneak over an hour early to crush things down to make it look like we had made progress. Otherwise my people would have walked...

Mind you the Ex-President and the others that contributed to the mess did NOT show up. (Another reason I do not speak his name). There was also debris there left over from the original development. Those were large trees that were cut down could not move.

So you say "what is a little yard waste being dumped matter"??? Well in our case 10 THOUSAND dollar fine or spending 2 days 2K cleaning up the mess. It was still in contention if it was our common area or not. Did not matter. The city put down the hammer on dumping yard wastes.

Why can you not put your yard waste in your yard or in a trash can? It does NOT belong in common area. That is every owner's area. It is NOT just yours. It spreads things and can cause danger. How do you know there is not broken glass in it?

You spent $2000 and didnt even know if it was your property you were cleaning up? And then you admit this online? Hmmmm might want to think about what you write when it makes you look so bad

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Concept here. The CITY said it was our property. They issued the fine. It was also OUR people who made the mess. So who they going to fine? The people who were the ones who left the debris there duh...If not, still if it was on our property, it needed to be cleaned up. You do not leave yard debris on common property...

Former HOA President