Leaf Collection Will Resume October 2023

Unscheduled collection of leaves and garden waste will be provided during the months of April, October and November (weather permitting). 

Leaf collection will end following the season's first snow accumulation, but NO LATER than November 30th. Trucks will then be converted for snow and ice control operations at this time.

Your cooperation in making leaf collection as efficient as possible is appreciated. Please follow these instructions:

• Pile leaves in windrows on grass areas along the curb, not in the street or gutter.
• Avoid piling leaves near trees, posts, mailboxes, hydrants, and other obstructions.
• Leaves in bags or containers, or covered with a tarp WILL NOT be collected.
• Leaves mixed with brush WILL NOT be collected.

Please see the City’s Leaf and Garden Waste Collection Policy for a complete description of the curbside leaf and garden waste collection service seasons, rules and alternative disposal options.

Leaf collection is not scheduled on a particular week like brush collection is, but leaf collection does progress through the same four quadrants of the City as follows:

• Quadrant 1: South of University Ave. and West of Park St.
• Quadrant 2: South of University Ave. and East of Park St.
• Quadrant 3: North of University Ave. and West of Allen Blvd.
• Quadrant 4: North of University Ave. and East of Allen Blvd.

Locate your quadrant here.

It takes about one to two weeks for the leaf collection crew to cycle through all four quadrants of the City. Progress continually changes based on other priority work, weather conditions, volume of leaves, available staff, and equipment breakdowns.

Collection on private property is prohibited, unless a Release of Liability Agreement is signed and on file with the Dept. of Public Works.

Leaves will be delivered to property owners upon email request.

Alternative to curbside collection:

City residents may bring the following items to the Metropolitan Refuse District (MRD) located at 5211 Highway Q Waunakee, WI 53597 at no charge: brush, branches, (up to 6” in diameter), wood chips, sawdust, grass clippings, leaves, plants, and Christmas trees. The MRD does not accept painted or treated wood products, stumps, logs, sod, plastics, trash, asphalt, concrete or other hazardous waste at the site. View the Compost Tab (left) for more info.

Please note:

INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES - while still considered yard waste, including most weeds, cannot by law be placed in your refuse (brown) cart, the seeds of some invasive species could survive the composting process and should be disposed of in the landfill. A full listing of prohibited and restricted invasive species is available on the DNR web site, and includes Garlic mustard, Dame’s rocket, Leafy spurge, Purple loosestrife, Canada thistle, and Crown vetch. The list doesn’t include dandelions, creeping charlie, or common thistles.

Restricted and prohibited invasive species plants should be placed in a plastic bag, labeled “invasive species”, and placed in your refuse (brown) cart. The reason for labeling the bag is just in case it would break open, so that the driver knows to collect the material, and not reject it.