Politics & Government

Scott Township's Trash Ordinance Gets Messy

Commissioners in Scott are trying to figure out how residents can store trash bins.

Who would’ve thought that drafting a trash ordinance could be so messy?

have been working for the past six months to craft an ordinance that would require residents to store garbage in bins within five feet of the side or rear of their homes.

But Scott Township’s many unique neighborhoods and wards are making it difficult to find a single policy that would satisfy everyone.

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The topography in a few neighborhoods forces some residents to place the bins in the front of their houses. The commissioners are trying to figure out how those residents can conceal the bins in the front.

“There isn’t a perfect fit for everyone,” township Manager Denise Fitzgerald said. “That’s the issue they’re facing, but they’re working through it.”

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The commissioners appeared to get close to a resolution during their workshop meeting Tuesday night. The last part of the debate appears to center around what can be used to conceal the bins in those special circumstances.

Original wording in the proposed ordinance said “screening” could be used, but the commissioners do not want fences in the front. Ultimately, they chose to say the garbage in the front should be “concealed” from view, which might include using vegetation or bushes.

“I’m wondering if we are over-complicating this thing,” Commissioner David Jason said.

They ordered solicitor Robert McTiernan to revise the ordinance and bring it back to them at their regular meeting on April 26. There is no timeline on when the commissioners ultimately will vote on the ordinance.


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