Trash bin eyesores vex reader
TRASH CANS CAN’T BE ON ROAD 24/7: That law comes to light after West Sider Steve Snowden emailed “questions about the city of Albuquerque trash and recycling containers and what ordinances, rules or policies concern their placement and usage.”
It was prompted after a few neighbors “started leaving their two waste dumpsters on the street/in the lane of traffic 24/7. The homes are occupied, and the owners walk to the containers periodically to put in trash and recycling materials.”
Steve says “the containers are clearly in the right-hand lane of traffic and remain there day and night, 24/7 . ... This is an eyesore, and with their Journal newspapers being left in their driveway for sometimes days at a time, it gives the appearance of a home where no one is present; clearly a concern with today’s rising crime problem in Albuquerque.”
Another home “leaves their containers in their front yard, but up on their lawn where their grass meets the curb. I called the city’s 311 number a few weeks ago, and they said they would pass my concerns on to the department that would cover that.
“I never got a reply, nor has the problem been corrected.” So what’s the law? Diane Wikler, marketing manager/ public information officer for the city’s Solid Waste Management Department, says “the city ordinance for Solid Waste does require that trash and recycle bins be placed back on a resident’s property 24 hours after service pick up. In addition, the trash and recycling bins cannot be put out on the curb more than 12 hours prior to service pick up. There have been no prior complaints related to the addresses listed ... we will put in a request for Code Enforcement to speak with the resident of the first address and they will also hang a tag on their bins or front door. (But) we only regulate from the curb out. We do not have any jurisdiction over where people choose to place bins in their own yards. Therefore we can’t do anything about the second address listed.”
Wikler provided an update late last week, saying of the homeowner with the trash bins in the road “we spoke with the resident about the issue and they will correct it.” AND YOU CAN’T BLOCK THE
SIDEWALK: Steve also says a neighbor parks an “old pickup truck (so that it) blocks the sidewalk in front of their house. Is this something you could give me some guidance on also?”
State law says it is illegal to block a sidewalk — think of kids, families, folks on walkers or with strollers or dogs having to walk in the road because a vehicle isn’t pulled in far enough.
State Statute 66-7-351, “Stopping, standing or parking prohibited in specified places, (states): A. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic-control device, in any of the following places: (1) on a sidewalk.”