City of Lawton gets serious about trash rules

The new rules are in place.

Friday marked the beginning of new regulations imposed by the City of Lawton for residents who set out bulk debris at their curbs for monthly collection. The first to have those regulations enforced will be those in Area 2, who have bulk debris collected on the second Wednesday of the month (April 12 this month). The short version: follow the rules for setting out your bulk debris or face a premium pickup fee of $133.35 per hour.

That means penalties for those who set out items not considered bulk debris, set out their items before or after their area’s designated week, set out more than 4 cubic yards, or mix household trash into their bulk debris. Not all the rules are new — guidelines have beeb in place for bulk debris since the City of Lawton began monthly curbside service — but what is new is strict enforcement of the rules, existing and new. That’s due to a directive by the City Council, whose members want to get a handle on what they see as out-of-control trash in the community.

Mayor Stan Booker said it is part of an initiative to make the community more attractive.

“We can’t accept piled-up debris and blowing trash,” he said.

City staff has been conducting an educational campaign for weeks, but set an April 7 start date for enforcing penalties. What it means is that if a resident sets out debris that doesn’t meet bulk guidelines, city sanitation crews still will collect it. But, rather than being a free pickup, the resident will be charged the premium bulky waste collection fee of $133.35 per hour. That time that starts when the crew and vehicle leave the Public Works yard in south Lawton. The resulting charge will be placed on that resident’s monthly utility bill.

Residents who are found to be in violation of bulk debris rules will be notified by a door hangar, telling them what the problem is. The debris then will be collected with a premium fee assessed. That fee will be applied to residents who:

• Set out bulk debris before or after their area’s designated collection time. Debris may not be set out any earlier than the Sunday before the Wednesday collection day and no later than 7 a.m. on collection day.

• Set out more than four cubic yards. Four cubic yards is approximately the size of four clothes dryers.

• Set out household trash for bulk collection. Household trash must be placed in polycarts for weekly collection.