Look Out for Leaves!

We might be out of the spooky season, but there's still something a little scary lurking in our neighborhoods... Fallen leaves! Though it's perfectly natural and beautiful for trees to turn colors and shed their leaves this time of year, we need to be careful about how we handle the mess in our yards and driveways.

Leaves can quickly clog up storm drains along the roadway, which means water won't be able to drain properly during or after rain (or snow). Standing or pooling water on the roadway is dangerous for drivers and impedes bike/ped traffic, too. In addition to preventing good drainage, leaves left in storm drains become a safe haven for nuisance vermin like rodents and insects.

After rain or snow, or even early morning dew, wet leaves left in the street can create an unsafe, slippery driving surface especially for people on motorcycles or bikes.

At home, leaf-clogged gutters can result in costly home repairs and inconvenience. Make sure to clean out your gutters regularly, and consider gutter covering products or a professional gutter cleaning service.

Wondering how you can help? A good yard maintenance routine is key!

• Sweeping or blowing your leaves or grass clippings onto the street or into a storm drain is a violation of City Code. Consider bagging your leaves in compostable bags and taking them to our free forestry disposal site, mulching them as part of your mowing passes, or composting them!
• Please don't sweep or blow your leaves to/along the curb and leave them there. This greatly increases the likeliness of leaves ending up in the street or storm drains.
• If you see someone deliberately sweeping or blowing leaves or grass clippings into the road or into a storm drain, please call Public Works at 913-755-4525. We would love to help educate them on the risks associated and help find them resources for better removal.