COMPOST & YARD WASTE
The compost and yard waste site is located at 886 Mallard Road. This site is a free drop-off site available to village residents for grass clippings, leaves, and garden and plant waste. Please note that tree branches are not accepted at this site. In conjunction with the compost and yard waste site the village offers a curbside tree branch chipping service available at no charge to all village residents. Curbside chipping occurs every other Thursday, consistent with the recycling schedule. Place the branches with the cut ends facing the street. We can chip up to a 3” diameter branch. Please call the D.P.W. offices to be added to the chipping list. Wood chips can be delivered to residents free of charge as they become available. Please call to have your name added to a list.WEED, GRASS AND OTHER VEGETATION
2024 Weed Notice
VILLAGE OF WRIGHTSTOWN
Noxious Weeds, Grass and Other Vegetation
130-3 Public Nuisances Affecting Health
(F) Noxious weeds, grass, and other vegetation.
- Definition. As used in this subsection, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Noxious weeds shall mean the weeds defined in W.S.A. 66.0407, which is hereby adopted and made part of this article, and shall also include common ragweed, giant ragweed, burdock or any other weeds or vegetation, or any combination thereof, allowed to grow to a height of eight inches for developed lots, and twelve inches for undeveloped lots.
Developed lot shall be defined as a lot with a finished building or building under construction.
Undeveloped lot shall mean a vacant lot with no structure on it. - This subsection is adopted due to the unique nature of the problems associated with lawns, grasses, and noxious weeds being allowed to grow to excessive length in the Village.
- Grass, weeds and/or leaves not to be deposited in streets. No person shall cause to be deposited grass, weeds and/or leaves from his or her premises onto any street in the Village.
- Public nuisance is declared when lawns, grasses, and noxious weeds exceed eight inches on developed lots and twelve inches on undeveloped lots. Exceeding the identified lengths adversely affects the public health and safety in the following manner; (a) tend to cause blight to developed areas; (b) permits breeding areas for obnoxious insects and allows for the concealing of vermin; (c) emits pollen and other discomforting bits of plants; (d) constitutes a fire hazard and a safety hazard in that debris can be hidden in the grass; (e) interferes with the public for convenience and; (f) adversely affects property values of other land within the Village. For that reason, any lawn, grass or weed on a lot or other parcel of land (to include ditch line or from edge of pavement to rear and side property line) that exceeds the lengths identified in this paragraph is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, except for undeveloped property not served by water and sewer, wooded areas or tree lines where distance between trees effectively prevents mowing, hilly areas with severe slopes that would prevent safe mowing, property that is zoned agriculture, or property located in a designated floodplain area and/or wetland area.
- Nuisances are prohibited. No person, firm or corporation of any lot or parcel shall allow such property to become overgrown with any noxious weeds, grass or other vegetation so as to constitute a public nuisance, as defined in item four above.
- The Director of Public Works shall serve as the Weed Commissioner and have the powers and duties as outlined in W.S.A. 66.0517, except that the Director shall receive no compensation for this service other than his regular salary.
In accordance with W.S.A. 66.0407, the Weed Commissioner shall annually, on or before May 15, publish a Class 2 notice and post at the official posting locations of the Village that requires every person by law to destroy all noxious weeds and to cut all other grass or vegetation exceeding twelve inches on undeveloped lots, and eight inches on developed lots, on each parcel of land which the person owns, occupies, or controls.
The Weed Commissioner shall inspect or cause to be inspected all premises and places within the Village to determine whether any public nuisance as defined in item four of this subsection exists.
- Abatement of Nuisance. If the Weed Commissioner shall determine with reasonable certainty that any public nuisance as defined in item four of this subsection exists, he or she shall immediately cause written notice to be served that the Village proposes to have the parcel with weeds, grass or vegetation cut so as to conform to this subsection.
If a parcel or property owner fails to control the growth of such weeds, grass or vegetation on his property, the Weed Commissioner shall serve upon him a notice as to this fact. If such owner fails to abate this nuisance within five calendar days after the service of the notice by Certified Mail, the Weed Commissioner shall take action to abate such public nuisance. Should the service by Certified Mail be refused or be unclaimed, the Weed Commissioner shall take action to abate such public nuisance.
8. Village’s option to abate nuisance. In any case where the owner, occupant or person in charge of the property shall fail to cut his or her weeds, grass or vegetation as set forth above, then in that event the Village may elect to cut said weeds, grass and vegetation as follows:
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- The written notice required in item seven of this subsection shall inform said person that in the event of his or her failure to abate the nuisance within the prescribed time, the Village shall abate the same and the cost thereof shall be assessed to the property owner as a special charge.
- The Village shall cut or cause to be cut all weeds, grass and vegetation from the Subject’s property and shall charge the expenses of so doing at a rate as provided in Chapter 102, Fees and Penalties.
Noted here below for reference only for the beginning fee schedule:
- Each property owner will be assessed a flat fee of $125 per parcel and an administrative service charge of $50 per parcel, in addition to a fee for equipment and labor per parcel.
- The Village will assess a fee for all equipment and labor used on the project per parcel. There will be a 1 hour minimum charge per parcel. Any work completed after one hour will be invoiced in half hour increments. Fees applied are:
A. Tractor / Mower: $75 per hour
B. Riding mower: $40 per hour
C. Self-propelled lawn mower: $15 per hour
D. Weed trimmer: $10 per hour
E. Labor and benefits: per hour based on current wage and benefit per employee
The Village may also enforce the General Penalty as outlined in Chapter 1, General Provisions 1-18, Violations and Penalties cross referenced in Subsection 130-9 Violations and Penalties.
The charges for cutting shall be set forth in a statement to the Village Clerk/ Treasurer, who in turn shall mail the same to the owner, occupant or person in charge of the subject premises. If said statement is not paid in full within 30 days thereafter, the Village Clerk/Treasurer shall enter the charges in the tax roll as a special charge against said lot or parcel of land, and the same shall be collected in all respects like other taxes upon real estate, or as provided under W.S.A. 66.0627.
