Leaves
If you’re reaching out about a request regarding leaves or yard waste, your request will be directed towards Streets and Sanitation. Click on the type of request that most matches your request:
Leaf Blowing Complaints
Please note, it is illegal for residents or landscaping companies to rake, blow, or otherwise move leaves from the parkway or yard into city streets per Municipal Code Sec. 10-8-480 (prohibiting the depositing of debris and refuse into the public way). Doing so can clog sewer drains and slow street sweeping operations. Instead, landscaping companies should bag and remove leaves, or residents may bag them and call 311 to request a yard waste pickup. Better yet, listen to environmentalists’ call to “leave the leaves” — learn more in this WTTW article. Leaves should not be deposited in the trash — it’s a violation of Illinois law to landfill yard waste.
Steps
If you want to report someone who is depositing leaves in the public way, you may do so by contacting our office at (773) 868-4747 or info@aldermanmartin.com.
It is most helpful if you can identify the specific address at which it is occurring and the day and time of the incident. If a landscaping company is doing this, please make sure to note the name of the company.
Our office will ask Streets & Sanitation to inspect the location around the day/time of the reported incident, and to attempt to contact the company and/or property owner to remind them of the proper way to manage yard waste.
Yard Waste Disposal
Under state law, it is illegal to send yard waste to the landfill. The Department of Streets & Sanitation coordinates yard-waste collection to assist residents in clearing their yards, parkways, and storm drains of leaf debris. Yard waste should be left in the alley or at the curb for collection and bagged separately from garbage and recycling bins. Yard waste may consist of leaves, grass clippings, branches, shrubbery and garden waste. It does not include dirt, rocks, or gravel.
Steps
Bag your yard waste and place it in the alley or at the curb separate from trash and recycling.
Contact 311 and report how many bags you have and the location of the bags.
Streets & Sanitation will pick up the yard waste and take it to be composted.
Better yet, listen to environmentalists’ call to “leave the leaves” — learn more in this WTTW article.
If you need help submitting your request through 311’s online portal, view our help article on submitting service requests.
Have a suggestion about how to improve services?
We always welcome suggestions on how to improve city services, so we can pass the feedback along to the Department and the Mayor’s office. Please send feedback and suggestions to info@aldermanmartin.com. It’s important to know that our city budget plays a significant role in determining the quality and timeliness of service that departments can provide. You can sign up for updates about the budget process and our townhalls here.