Moving trash collection from alleys to roads

Started by RyanB8 • 7 replies • 248 views

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RyanB8 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 1

Posted:

Our neighborhood is forcing some houses that are on alleys to place their trash cans in front of their houses even though their driveways are on an alley. The trash has been collected at the driveway for the last 7 years. The HOA owns the alley and is worried about having to fix the alley in the future becuase of the trash trucks weight.

Some alleys will still be collected because they border common areas, and the curb is a good distance from their house.

Is this selective enforcement of the rules?

Does the HOA have authority to do this?

Thank you

BillH10 (Texas)
Posts: 1,217

Posted:

In the HOA in which we reside, the agency which collects the trash stipulates the location for placing the trash totes as well as placing bulk pickup and lawn waste--and, the locations may be different as they use different equipment and personnel for each.

So . . . your HOA may not have the ability to change the pickup location. Check with the agency which collects the trash.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

No, it's not selective enforcement.

It's providing a service.
Did the Association recently change trash contractors?

JohnT38 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,631

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By RyanB8 on 12/14/2022 10:35 AM
Our neighborhood is forcing some houses that are on alleys to place their trash cans in front of their houses even though their driveways are on an alley. The trash has been collected at the driveway for the last 7 years. The HOA owns the alley and is worried about having to fix the alley in the future becuase of the trash trucks weight.

Some alleys will still be collected because they border common areas, and the curb is a good distance from their house.

Is this selective enforcement of the rules?

Does the HOA have authority to do this?

Thank you

No, I do not consider it selective enforcement since they have provided a specific reason for why they are doing it. Most HOA docs give the Board the authority to maintain HOA property so unless your governing documents say otherwise I think they do have the authority to do this.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

What John and Tim said.

It's also possible the trash collector has a hand in this - they want to get through the routes as quickly as possible and probably don't want to worry about going to the alley to collect some trash cans and the rest that are in front of the homes. Better to put all of them in one area or the other. Besides, you do know that repairing concrete isn't cheap and if you live in a large community, that type of expense can hurt reserves if they haven't been funded properly - or at all? What's the situation with your reserves?

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

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

It is not selective enforcement at all. Will the trash collector company agree to this? Did you hire a traffic engineer to evaluate the road prior to making this decision?
Did you consult with the affected homeowners? Perhaps some may have difficulty because of age or handicap to drag their bins to the front, especially when garage
access is in the rear of the house. Is the a clear path for the affected homeowners to easily move their bins to the front. You may open another can of worms. people
will start to leave their bins in the front so they don't have to drag them back and front every collection day.

ND (PA)
Posts: 792

Posted:

Ryan . . . What town are you in? I'm just curious.

Heavy trash trucks (and a 2nd recycling truck I assume) driving repetitively over an alleyway week after week would help to deteriorate the alleyway more quickly. If HOA is responsible for maintenance of this alleyway, then it sees logical that they would take measures to try and help it last as long as possible before having to be repaved, which is a significant financial burden for an HOA.

HOA likely has authority to do this.

Understand it may be inconvenient for you and others. Perhaps there are better solutions.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Until we know more, ND's remarks make total sense.

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