Be A Good Neighbor: FALLing Leaves

Your home is your castle. It is supposed to be your own sanctuary, and safe place. For most people, it may be the place you spend most of your life, whether it‘s eating, sleeping, or entertaining. It’s also important to have a place where you can relax or de-stress. Most of us have neighbors, and for the most part, we all want the same thing. Here is how you can do your part in being a good neighbor. Fall / Autumn is upon us. Here are some things that some may find trivial, but others may find as annoying.

Fall/Autumn is known for cool breeze, MLB baseball playoffs, NFL football, a ridiculous amount of pumpkin spice flavored everything, and beautiful colors of turning leaves. Unfortunately, it's also known for falling leaves. With that said, here's a reminder for some good housekeeping tip. Leaves should be raked, bagged, and set out for pickup on days designated for yard refuse collection. Each residence is responsible for the fallen leaves that falls onto their property, even if its from a public or neighbor's tree. To keep the neighborhood clean, tidy looking, and also safe from hiding critters, please remove the leaves from the sidewalks, streets, and gutters near your property. Also, grass clippings should not be blown, or deposited on the sidewalk, streets, or gutters. It is not proper housekeeping, and it is also against the Baltimore County Code. You may be cited for those violations. Below is the Baltimore County Code regarding "depositing certain material in the street".

§ 18-3-109. - DEPOSITING CERTAIN MATERIAL IN THE STREET.

(a)Prohibited. A person may not place, deposit, cast, or throw on, or into any road, street, sidewalk, lane, alley, bridge, or drain in the county:(1)Any metal, wood, glass, nails, grass clippings, leaves, or other object or article; or(2)Any dead animal, offal, garbage, ashes, fruit, dirt, filth, rubbish, noxious fluid or substance, or refuse of any kind.

(b)Penalty. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000, or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or both.

(1988 Code, § 31-10) (Bill No. 3, § 2, 3-30-1990; Bill No. 66-01, § 2, 7-1-2004; Bill No. 73-03, § 30, 7-1-2004; Bill No. 20-15, § 1, 4-20-2015)

Please share with your neighbors, friends, family, and community residents. If you have any questions in regards to this article, please contact your local police department.