Citrus Heights survey shows residents overwhelmingly support bulk waste pickup days

By Sara Beth Williams–
City staff recently presented survey results showing a strong majority of Citrus Heights residents use and want to continue utilizing free Neighborhood Cleanup services offered by the city.

A survey through FlashVote opened on Aug. 19 and offered Citrus Heights residents a two-day window in which to share their thoughts on neighborhood bulk waste pickup service, which occurs three times per year. Survey results were released Aug. 21 and showed that 407 residents had responded.

The survey found that 90 percent of respondents made use of the bulk waste pickup program in the last 12 months, 5.9 percent of respondents knew the service existed but didn’t use it, and only 3.5 percent of those surveyed said they didn’t know about the program.

The survey also revealed that 50 percent of respondents noticed that scavengers picked through piles and left a mess, but 70 percent of respondents noticed that scavengers did not leave a mess. 20 percent of respondents said they noticed illegal dumping of items by people who were not part of the neighborhood at the time of the scheduled service.

Around three-quarters of respondents wanted the Neighborhood Cleanup program to continue as is without any changes. 17 percent of those surveyed said they would support changing to scheduled pickup appointments up to three times per year, or on an as-needed basis. Zero respondents indicated they would want to eliminate the program. 3.6 percent said they were unsure.

A majority of respondents who commented said they appreciated the service, with comments like “We always use it. Please continue,”, “Love the pick up days,” and “It is a great service.” Many respondents said the issues that come up, such as scavengers, are not significant enough to discontinue the service, and others said they “really appreciate” the free cleanup service. Still more respondents commented that having the program available three times a year “helps prevent illegal dumping.”

The city last week told The Sentinel the reason for the survey was in response to “numerous complaints about piles being out for days before scheduled pickups, the blight this creates, scavenging, and residents missing scheduled pickups.” The Neighborhood Cleanup program has been in operation since 2006, the city said.

Some survey respondents said scavengers have made “a mess.” Others suggested a shorter time-frame in which to allow items to be on the street, a stronger response from code enforcement, a more “stern enforcement of the rules” to discourage scavengers, and more law enforcement presence during scheduled pickup times.

Others commented that “people scavenging have been very courteous.” Some also said they have personally obtained “valuable items” and “stuff that is almost brand new” from other residents’ bulky item piles. Another respondent said they “hope someone comes along and finds stuff they can use.” and others echoed, saying that they support scavengers because they are usually “recycling stuff.”

Respondents also expressed concerns over the collection of bulk waste items, saying that a mess is left behind by the collection agency when large piles are removed. Some suggested the use of either hand push brooms or street sweepers immediately following the Neighborhood Cleanup services.

The city called scavengers “a pro and a con” during a presentation to the City Council on Aug. 28, acknowledging that many residents want scavengers to recycle items, but adding that scavengers can create a bigger mess.

In response to the survey and in order to address the blight issue, the city recommended to the City Council that the city bring forth a resolution to amend the current contract with Republic Services regarding the program. Amendments would include stronger enforcement of the 48-hour time limit and include penalties for early set up.

According to the city’s website, the Neighborhood Cleanup program provides free removal of large items three times per year, but has restrictions on what items are allowed to be disposed of. Residents are given a 48-hour window in which to place items on the street and bulk items are picked up on the same day trash is collected. Pickup schedules vary based on a resident’s address within the city, and services are staggered throughout the year between neighborhood zones.

More information regarding the Neighborhood Cleanup schedule can be found on the city’s website.

To participate in future local FlashVote surveys, residents can find out more on the city’s website and sign up for alerts to be notified when the city issues new surveys.