The Observation Deck

A couple of weeks ago I was stuck in traffic on a Lakewood street that was blocked by two garbage trucks. Inconvenient but no big deal. At least for the first five minutes. And then two more minutes. Then I noticed that there was no rubbish beng collected. The guys were just chatting. I honked the horn and was given a cold glare. And one more minute of waiting. While they talked.

Now, eight minutes is no big deal I guess. But would you wait in line at the bank while the tellers chated about their weekend? Would the bank management tolerate that behavior? What does this say about the level of City service?

One person I know found maggots on their car. The refuse collectors were upset that the trash contained maggots so they dumped them over her car.

I'm I the only one that has noticed a decline in the level of service in recent months?

Bill

Generally I'm pretty willing to give the city workers a break. Pretty much refuse, streets, etc., are thankless jobs. But I gotta tell you, I think that there has been some decline, if not in actual delivery of service, then at least in the attitude that accompianies it.

Over the past few months, my house has been missed 5 times for our scheduled garbage pickup.....no locked gate, no dogs outside, no cars blocking the cans....just didn't get a cushman back to the garage....

Called, said we needed a pickup, an begrudgingly, got one the next day. And each time, instead of the cans back in their little enclosure, they were just dumped in the driveway by the garage. Probably just a coincidence, but without the special call, containers are back in their enclosure WITH the lids on.

Jeff

PS On another note, my office got its annual fire dept. checkup last week. Nicest guys in the world.

Amen to the Fire Department. They came in a week or so ago and were wonderful. The Lieutenant has been here every year and he sets the tone. I do think that the "Customer Service" attitude is set at the top and he is great.

I haven't had any trouble with the city services. They did run into my garage once but there was a very courteous note from the law department to notify us of the incident. I thought that the trash collection from the backyards was an area that usually is considered a luxury in these times of tight budgets. While the stories seem inconsiderate to say the least, I don't think that they represent a major problem.

I have dealt with a lot of city workers over the years and I have always found them to be helpful and well-mannered.

I know they have specific requirements about bundling up wood cut up from dead trees in your yard.

Aren't maggots supposed to be double bagged in ziploc quart-size one-zips (storage or freezer), with a maximum quantity of 30 maggots per bag? I think it may be in the ordinance somewhere below.

City workers aren't always the best, but sometimes the customer/resident bears some responsibility.

Doug

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PART SEVENTEEN - SANITARY CODE
TITLE FIFTEEN - CITY WASTE
CHAPTER 1783 - Inspection of Premises; Disposal of Garbage and Other Wastes

1783.01 Inspection.
1783.02 Infestation by rodents or vermin.
1783.03 Notice required; exception.
1783.04 Abatement of nuisances.
1783.05 Receptacles for garbage, refuse and litter.
1783.06 Covers for garbage receptacles.
1783.07 Use of receptacles required; deposits in streets or sidewalks prohibited.
1783.08 Contents of receptacles.
1783.09 Removal of contents.
1783.10 Location of receptacles.
1783.11 Manure pits or boxes.
1783.12 Removal of manure.
1783.13 Maintenance of pits or boxes.
1783.14 Loading manure and garbage upon railroad cars.
1783.15 Transporting garbage; vehicle requirements.
1783.16 Transporting manure; vehicle requirements.
1783.17 Garbage and manure vehicles as nuisances.
1783.18 Cleanliness of vehicles.
1783.19 Vehicles and boats with offensive lading.
1783.20 Depositing foul substances in public lands and waters.
1783.21 Use of offensive substances for filling and grading.
1783.22 Duties of owners.
1783.23 Maintenance of construction and building sites.
CROSS REFERENCES
Disposal and transportation - see Ohio R.C. 3767.20 et seq.
Junk vehicles - see TRAF. 303.08, 303.09
Leaking loads - see TRAF. 339.08
Littering - see GEN. OFF. 521.08; S.U. & P.S. 905.08
Undesirable accumulations - see GEN. OFF. 521.08
Rummaging in refuse - see GEN. OFF. 521.12

1783.01 INSPECTION.
It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police, the Commissioner of Health, sanitary officers and policemen, when they deem it necessary in order to secure or preserve the public health, to enter upon the premises or into the house, manufactory, workshop or other place of any person within the City to determine whether any nuisance exists therein, to inspect drains, vaults, cellars, cesspools, water closets, earth closets, cisterns, wells, privy vaults, sewers, yard and grounds of such premises, and to examine the condition of persons inhabiting or working in such places. When satisfied that apartments used for lodging or working therein are damp, ill-lighted, ill-ventilated, improperly constructed, or liable from overcrowding or filth to become infected with infectious, malignant, pestilential or dangerous diseases, or are not properly provided with pure water, and with privies, water closets, sewers, drains or cesspools, such policemen or any of them shall serve a written notice upon the owner, agent, lessee, occupant, tenant or other person in charge of such premises to correct or remove the nuisance or objection therein named, and if such owner, agent, lessee, occupant, tenant or other person in charge of such premises neglects or refuses to obey such notice, the Chief of Police or the Commissioner of Health is hereby fully authorized to put the same in proper order at the expense of such owner, agent, lessee, occupant, tenant or other person having charge thereof.
(Ord. 1-52. Passed 8-20-52.)

1783.02 INFESTATION BY RODENTS OR VERMIN.
No person shall permit any premises within the City to become or to continue to be infested with vermin or rodents.
(Ord. 1-52. Passed 8-20-52.)

1783.03 NOTICE REQUIRED; EXCEPTION.
Whenever the Commissioner of Health shall ascertain that a nuisance affecting or endangering the public health exists on any premises, or in any house, manufactory, workshop or other place within the City, he shall notify in writing any person owning, leasing, occupying, having control of or acting as agent for such premises, house, manufactory, workshop or other place, to abate and remove such nuisance within a reasonable time to be stated in such notice. In case of necessity, such nuisance may be abated or removed by the Commissioner of Health without such notice.
(Ord. 1-52. Passed 8-20-52.)

1783.04 ABATEMENT OF NUISANCES.
Upon the neglect or refusal of any owner, lessee, occupant, agent or other person having control of any premises, house, manufactory, workshop or other place to comply with a notice to abate a nuisance, the Commissioner of Health may abate such nuisance, and the owner, lessee, occupant, agent or other person having control of any premises, house, manufactory, workshop or other place, in addition to any other penalty provided in this Sanitary Code, shall be liable to the City for the cost of such abatement or removal, to be recovered in a civil action before any court having jurisdiction thereof.
(Ord. 1-52. Passed 8-20-52.)

1783.05 RECEPTACLES FOR GARBAGE, REFUSE AND LITTER.

(a) The owner, agent, lessee or occupant of any dwelling unit where refuse is produced or permitted to accumulate shall provide an adequate number of containers for such refuse. Each container shall be rat-proof, insect-proof, watertight, structurally strong to withstand handling stress and easily filled, emptied and cleaned, Each container shall be provided with tight fitting covers and shall be maintained at all times clean and in sanitary and safe condition. Such container shall have a capacity of not less than twenty nor more than thirty-two gallons and shall be provided with suitable handles.

(b) For each tenement apartment house using City refuse disposal, there shall be at least two such receptacles for each apartment unit.

(c) Each and every hotel, restaurant, cafe, lunch room, grocery, store, market, workshop or factory shall be provided with one or more of such receptacles. No garbage shall be placed or permitted to remain elsewhere than in such receptacles.
(Ord. 14-88. Passed 12-18-89.)

1783.06 COVERS FOR GARBAGE RECEPTACLES.
No occupant or person in possession or control of any building provided with any such receptacle shall fail to keep the same tightly covered at all times except when garbage is being placed therein or removed therefrom.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.07 USE OF RECEPTACLES REQUIRED; DEPOSITS IN STREETS AND SIDEWALKS PROHIBITED.
No garbage, rubbish or litter shall be placed or permitted to remain in any building or upon such premises, elsewhere than in suitable receptacles, nor shall any rubbish, dirt or waste be swept into or placed upon any street or sidewalk.
(Ord. 14-88. Passed 12-18-89.)

1783.08 CONTENTS OF RECEPTACLES.
No substance other than garbage shall be placed in receptacles maintained for public garbage collection, and nothing but rubbish shall be placed in receptacles maintained for public rubbish collection.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.09 REMOVAL OF CONTENTS.
Contents of any receptacles for garbage, ashes or rubbish shall not be removed in any manner or at any time so as to be or constitute a nuisance.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.10 LOCATION OF RECEPTACLES.

(a) No person shall place or maintain any receptacle for garbage, ashes or rubbish so that it will be or constitute a nuisance.

(b) Receptacles for garbage, ashes or rubbish maintained for public collection shall be so placed as to be readily accessible for collection.

(c) In an ML, MH, C1, C2, C3 and I zoning district, no person shall store refuse or garbage lawfully retained on the premises pending disposition thereof unless same is stored out of view of the public right of way, within a permanent building or structure or is shielded in a manner approved by the Architectural Board of Review.

(d) The Health Commissioner and the Building Commissioner are hereby charged with the enforcement of subsection (c) hereof.
(Ord. 51-85. Passed 7-1-85; Ord. 25-96. Passed 10-7-96.)

1783.11 MANURE PITS OR BOXES.
The owner, agent, lessee or person in possession or control of any building where one or more horses, mules, donkeys, cows, calves, swine, sheep, goats or fowl are kept, shall provide a box or pit of sufficient capacity to hold all manure produced or brought thereon. Such box or pit shall be tightly constructed of metal or masonry materials, shall be provided with a closely fitting vermin-proof lid, shall be watertight, and at least every thirty days shall be disinfected with suitable chemicals.

No manure, pending the removal thereof, shall be placed or kept elsewhere than in a box or pit of the kind herein described except in the case of manure piled for fertilizing purposes, which shall be spread upon removal from the conveyance.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.12 REMOVAL OF MANURE.
All manure shall be removed from such box or pit, and from premises in or upon which such box or pit is located, at least once each week.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.13 MAINTENANCE OF PITS OR BOXES.
No person in possession or control of any premises containing any such pit or box shall fail to keep the same tightly covered at all times, except when manure is being put into or removed therefrom, and to keep such pit or box in good repair and so as not to leak.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24. )

1783.14 LOADING MANURE AND GARBAGE UPON RAILROAD CARS.
Garbage or manure may be loaded upon railroad cars in the City, but only for immediate transportation. Each place where railroad cars are so loaded shall be at least 500 feet distant from every building used in whole or in part for human habitation or as a place where food for human consumption is made, placed, kept or sold. (Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.15 TRANSPORTING GARBAGE; VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS.
No person, firm or corporation shall use or suffer or permit to be used any vehicle to convey garbage unless such vehicle is tightly constructed and equipped with a closely fitting cover, and unless such vehicle is tightly covered at all times except when the same is being loaded or unloaded; nor shall any person, firm or corporation load or drive or cause to be loaded or driven on any thoroughfare any such vehicle containing garbage so as to suffer or permit any part of the contents to fall, spill or leak therefrom. (Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.16 TRANSPORTING MANURE; VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS.
No person, firm or corporation shall use or suffer or permit to be used any vehicle to convey manure unless such vehicle is equipped with a canvas cover that is securely fastened to such vehicle so as to completely cover all of the manure contained therein, at all times, except when the contents thereof are being loaded or unloaded; nor shall any person, firm or corporation load or drive or suffer or permit to be loaded or driven on any thoroughfare any such vehicle containing manure so as to suffer or permit any part of the contents of such vehicle to fall, spill or leak therefrom. (Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.17 GARBAGE AND MANURE VEHICLES AS NUISANCES.
No owner or person in possession or control of a vehicle used for carrying or transferring garbage or manure shall permit such vehicle to stand or be stored or kept in such manner or for such length of time that it will constitute a nuisance.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.18 CLEANLINESS OF VEHICLES.
The owner or person in possession or control of any such vehicle shall cause it to be cleaned at least once a week while in use, and to be kept clean when not in use.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.19 VEHICLES AND BOATS WITH OFFENSIVE LADING.
No person, firm or corporation owning or having the possession, charge or control of any car, vehicle, boat or vessel having in or upon it any substance that is foul, putrid, offensive or dangerous or that is detrimental to public health, shall allow such car, vehicle, boat or vessel to remain within the City longer than the time necessary for the completion of its lading.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.20 DEPOSITING FOUL SUBSTANCES IN PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS.
No person, firm or corporation shall throw or deposit or cause to be thrown, or deposited, in or upon any court, thoroughfare, harbor, river, canal, pond, creek or other public water or any yard, lot or area, or on any building, any dead animal, garbage or filth, or any substance that is foul, putrid, offensive or dangerous or that is detrimental to public health.

The owner, agent, lessee or other person having the possession, charge or control of any building or premises in or upon which any dead animal, garbage, filth or any substance that is foul, putrid, offensive or dangerous or that is detrimental to public health, has been thrown or deposited, shall cause the same to be removed when ordered to do so by the official charged with the enforcement of this Sanitary Code.
(Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.21 USE OF OFFENSIVE SUBSTANCES FOR FILLING AND GRADING.
No person, firm or corporation shall use or cause to be used any dead animal, part of any animal, or any garbage, filth or any substance that is or by its decomposition might become foul, putrid, offensive or detrimental to public health, for the purpose of filling or grading any lot, ground, gully, ravine, watercourse, dock, wharf or pier.

The owner, agent, lessee or other person owning or having the possession, charge or control of any lot, ground, gully, ravine, watercourse, dock, wharf or pier upon or in which there has been deposited any dead animal, part of any animal, or any garbage, filth or any substance that is or by its decomposition might become foul, putrid, offensive or dangerous, or any substance that is or by its decomposition might become detriment to public health, shall cause the same to be removed when ordered to do so by the official charged with the enforcement of this Sanitary Code. (Ord. 2276. Passed 10-13-24.)

1783.22 DUTIES OF OWNERS.

(a) The owner or person in control of property not eligible for City collection of garbage, shall keep the premises clean and free of litter and shall take measures to prevent litter from drifting or blowing to adjoining premises.

(b) It shall be the duty of the owner of bulk containers or person in control of premises on which is located bulk containers or detachable units for the collection of rubbish, to:
(1) Keep such bulk container or detachable unit placed behind the building line.
(2) Keep such bulk container or detachable unit in good repair, clean and painted.
(3) Keep such bulk container or detachable unit with lid closed at all times.
(4) Keep such bulk container or detachable unit properly identified as a receptacle for garbage, such identification to be affixed to such bulk container or detachable unit.

(c) "Bulk container" means a metal container of not less than one cubic yard nor more than eight cubic yards, made of watertight construction with doors and constructed so that they may be emptied mechanically by specifically equipped trucks.

(d) Whoever is found guilty of violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a minor misdemeanor. (Ord. 76-83. Passed 9-6-83.)

1783.23 MAINTENANCE OF CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING SITES.

(a) No construction or demolition contractor shall fail to provide on site refuse receptacles, bulk containers or detachable units for loose debris, paper, building material waste, scrap building materials and other refuse produced by those working on the site. All such materials shall be containerized by the end of each day and the site shall be kept in reasonably clean and garbage free condition. The number of refuse receptacles, containers, bulk containers or detachable units shall be determined by the size of the job. Dirt, mud, construction materials or the debris deposited upon any public or private property as a result of the construction or demolition shall be immediately removed by the contractor. The construction site shall be kept clean and orderly at all times.

(b) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 76-83. Passed 9-6-83.)




Disclaimer: Notice to On-line Users
This on-line version of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood, related legislation, and regulations is not the official version. The only officially published version is available through the office of the Clerk of Council, located at City Hall, phone (216) 529-6054. This on-line version may, occasionally, differ from the official version and should be relied upon for general information purposes only.
Presented by Lakewood Public Library

I have to agree that the city services have been going in a declining pattern. I have come home while the garbage men have been here collecting our trash, only to have to wait to pull into my own drive way. While the cushman was parked in my drive way (hence why I couldn't pull in) and the garbage men were standing on the lawn talking, I had to sit in my car and wait until they were done discussing something very important I'm sure. They saw me sitting there with my turn signal on to pull into the drive way and they still proceeded to talk. We have had to call a couple of times to have the recycling picked up because they missed our street all together.

There may only be ten houses on our street, but some of us do recycle on a regular basis!

I personally hope to see some sort of improvement.

In the future most of us probably won't have trash picked up from our homes. We will have to cart it ourselves to centralized collection centers. It will be a good way for kids with wagons to make money. Maybe they'll be able to deliver newspapers again too. If there are newspapers.

sounds ok, Ryan, as long as there is no "backhauling," i.e. hauling trash one way and then hauling newspaper back the other way, unless we could be assured that the wagons were sanitized in between - then again, I never read newspapers in the hard paper format -

Doug

ryan costa wrote:It will be a good way for kids with wagons to make money. Maybe they'll be able to deliver newspapers again too. If there are newspapers.

I'll have you know my 11 year old daughter delivers the local Sun Post every Wednesday night. She loves it. She saves every penny she makes.

By the way... she uses a bag to deliver her papers, not a wagon.

the wagon would be for carting trash.

The trend in newer communities is for a team of adults to deliver the papers via large automobiles early in the morning.

DougHuntingdon wrote: I never read newspapers in the hard paper format -

Doug

Doug


Just curious why? Newspaper are one of the few successful recycling projects in the world. I think the other ones would be glass and fleece. They cost nothing from a tree worth saving, use soybean ink.

When we kicked off the LO, one thing we all realized was that the only way we could get a majority of Lakewood involved was a newspaper. It has a very strange connection with the people that hold one.

I could understand magazines, but newspapers are pretty environmentally friendly. We had thought of a magazine, but our printing advisory board member thought newspaper was much better for all.

Suzie

Tell you daughter the Lakewood Observer is always looking for deliver people. Our bags glow in the dark!


.

Jim, I gave up papers about ten years ago. By the time it is printed on a piece of paper and gets into your hands, it's not really "news" anymore. If news isn't "news," then what's the point? It is amazing how many people still read them the old way. I am no environmentalist. I use a lot of paper and plastic, rather than silverware. I don't believe in global warming.

Doug

Don't worry. Global warming is real.

Newspapers are important. News on Cable Tv is mostly headline news: They report on it before they know many details. Then the skip on to the next story. When i do watch it it doesn't answer most of the questions the story leads me to asking. And I have to sit through minutes of soundbytes, theme animations, and repetition for every minute of this.

It is odd what we've done with technology. I would look through newspapers from the 20s and 30s of my old college. They were several times more pages and stories than the paper put out by the school in modern times. And there were far more ads for local and state businesses. It may have even been printed more often. And there wasn't an actual Journalism degree program then. How'd they do this without computers?

For those concered about the decline in the garbage crew specifically, here's another story to help flesh out the bad attitude problem.

I know a couple of young men who've obtained the coveted position of full time Refuse Engineer in the past few years.

They brag about spending hours at home while on the clock.

These young men sought this gig because of the premo benifits and menial work load.

Any Observer can witness this behavior between 8 and 9 a.m. in the vacinity of Phoenix Coffee, Burger King and Caribu on Detroit and Elmwood/Andrews. On some days, as many as 4 garbage trucks and an army of Kushman line up on Andrews.

On a recent Friday morning, I asked one Refuse Engineer what time he began work, "7 am" he said. If you happen to catch the action, you'll notice that these guys hang out for up to one hour. He admited that they were all on the clock, infact he thought it was rather sly. He must have forgotten that I'm one of many citizens subsidizing his slack.

Where are the managers? Pounding Burger King hash browns with the crew?

It's reasonable that there would be some amount of allowable slack for those who collect our rotting refuse. However, when these individuals choose to completely blow-off civic reciprocity their behavior is due for modification.

What is city council going to do about this?

We all know of the budget shortfall. What are you going to do about this kind of wasting in the waste department?