It wouldn’t be fall in Portland without the annual task of marking your calendar for the Leaf Day pick ups in your neighborhood. Mailers were sent out mid-October and pick up dates for each neighborhood/leaf district can be found at portland.gov/transportation/maintenance/leaf-day.Â
Most neighborhoods in SE Portland have two pick up days, with the exception of Mt. Tabor and a portion of Sellwood-Moreland. This is a free service for all residents in the Leaf Districts so there is no need to opt in or out.
As the Leaf Day in your area approaches, keep the following things in mind so that the city can do a thorough job of cleaning up the fallen leaves.
Trim your trees.
Make sure you trim any low-hanging tree limbs over the street to provide 11 feet of clearance so equipment can get as close to the curb as possible and get the best clean. Learn more about tree pruning and permits here at bit.ly/PruningPermits.
One day before.
Rake the leaves you want picked up into the street one day before your scheduled Leaf Day pick up.
Tree leaves only.
Use regular yard bins for twigs, branches, needles, grass clippings and other debris.
Maintain curb space.
Keep one foot of space between your pile and the curb to allow water runoff and make it easier for the street sweepers. Also allow plenty of clearance between your pile and any vehicle left parked on the street.
Move vehicles and other objects off the street.
While there are no tow areas in SE, if you work or travel in NW, SW and Sullivan’s Gulch in NE, some of those areas require vehicles be moved. Unmmoved vehicles will be towed and ticketed. Leaf Day service districts are small enough that you should never have to travel more than a quarter mile to park a vehicle outside the boundaries of a Leaf Day district. Whenever possible, allow plenty of clearance between your pile and anything left parked on the street.
Help your neighbors.
The pandemic still means more people working from home and vehicles parked longer. Check in with your neighbors so everyone remembers to move their vehicles on Leaf Day.
With everyone’s help, we can keep storm drains clear, ensure intersections don’t flood and have cleaner, safer streets to drive and bike on this winter.
