Northwood News ♦ December 2017

Leaf Collection Update and Tips

By Samantha Salisbury-Jones

Fall is officially here to stay!  This is the time of year for chilly weather, pumpkin spice, and Thanksgiving.  Along with all the fun fall brings, now is also the time to rake our leaves.  Each year, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation conducts its leaf collection program.  Here is how the program works:  residents rake their leaves into piles on the curb (not on the street!), and the leaf collection trucks go through each county zone on designated dates to vacuum up the piles.  Our neighborhood is situated in leaf collection zone 14E, and the county posts anticipated collection dates online.  You will also see collection dates posted on bright red fliers posted around the neighborhood.  There are two rounds of leaf collection; the county conducted our first round on November 10, and our second round will occur after Thanksgiving.  The specific dates for collection can vary due to weather, and the county provided little notice for this year’s first round collection date.  If your leaves have already fallen, now may be good time to go ahead and start raking.  Some important reminders about this program:

• Rake leaves to the road edge; do not rakes leaves into the street [see photos below].
• Piles of leaves in the street block traffic and can disrupt drainage systems.
• Do not bag your leaves for the vacuum collection.
• If you miss the leaf collection dates, you can bag your leaves in a paper yard trim bag or in a trash can labeled “Yard Trim” throughout the year for weekly yard trim pick up.
• Need help raking?  Check out the listserv for postings by local teenagers and other residents looking to earn some cash.

The NFCCA will be posting the second round leaf collection date on our Twitter page (@NFCCAMoCo) once the county posts this information.  You can read more about the leaf collection program on the county’s website.   ■