Struggling to figure out what to do with all those leaves? Cleveland doesn’t offer citywide leaf pick-up. It does remove leaves in certain areas, but most people have to bag them up and put them out with the trash. (Yes, this can be confusing, but don’t be mad at us. We didn’t design the leaf removal program, we’re just telling you about it.)
The city designated six areas or “service stations” to deploy sweepers, leaf machines and other leaf removal technology in “high-leaf generation areas” throughout the city. The areas generally cover the edges of the city’s boundary, leaving service gaps in neighborhoods including Ohio City, Little Italy, Midtown and more.
The city’s process for letting residents know if they can expect leaf pick-up leaves something to be desired. For example, the city’s website includes a list of service areas but no map. This didn’t stop one City Council member from creating her own and sending it to residents in her ward.
Earlier this week, Council Member Rebecca Maurer emailed Ward 12 residents with more information about the city’s leaf pick-up program.
“As a reminder, while I’m happy to share the logistics of this program, I will be the first one to tell you it needs major reform,” Maurer wrote.
Parts of her ward are in “high-leaf generation areas” such as Old Brooklyn and parts of Slavic Village. She wrote that it doesn’t make sense to her why the city provides different services to different areas based on “high-leaf generation areas” that were decided years ago.
“I can also tell you first hand that this program has issues every year with missed streets and houses,” she wrote.
How to find out if you live in a leaf pick-up area
While the city listed its service areas for leaf removal, figuring out if you live in one is a bit trickier. Signal Cleveland found this map through the city’s data portal to show where exactly leaves are being picked up by crews. (Click here for an interactive version.)
Essentially, if you live in a shaded area, the city is supposed to pick up your leaves between now and the end of December. There is no set schedule because pick-ups are weather dependent.
If you live within a designated area, look for bright-colored notices in your neighborhood a week before the city comes through.
To prepare, rake your leaves and pile them on the strip of grass that runs between the sidewalk and the street, also known as a tree lawn. To help make it easier for the crews, residents are asked not to park on the street – if possible – during the service period.
The city plans to pick up leaves in these areas at least twice – weather permitting – before the end of the year, according to the city’s website.
Don’t forget: Never rake your leaves into the street as doing so can create hazards. The sewers, your neighbors and the city workers tasked with snow and ice control will thank you.
What if my street isn’t in a leaf pick-up area?
You’ll have to get rid of your leaves the old fashioned way: throwing them out with the trash. Each week, you can leave up to 20 garbage bags of leaves next to your trash as part of your regularly scheduled waste removal.
Got a green thumb? Then ‘leave the leaves’
The city is also encouraging residents to “leave the leaves” or turn them into mulch by mowing over them and chopping them into small pieces. Leaves can also be raked into garden beds or around the bases of trees where they can fertilize the soil as they decompose, according to Cleveland Director of Sustainability Sarah O’Keeffe.
Still have questions? You can call the city’s Division of Streets at (216) 664-2150 for more information. You can give the operator your address and they can confirm whether or not you live in an area serviced by the leaf removal program.
