JENNINGS — The city took the first steps this week in amending its garbage ordinance to place more stringent rules for removing trash cans from curbs after the garbage is picked up.

The new rule would require residents to remove the cans from the curb within 24 hours after weekly pick up.

But at least one resident is concerned the ordinance may not be strict enough and should address other trash problems including dumped tires, mattresses and other debris left at the curbside and in yards.

Resident Angela Lehman said the discussion regarding trash can ordinances reflects the need for the city to bring some ordinances up-to-date to reflect more specificity and hold non-compliant households accountable.

“We really need to look at the big picture,” she said, presenting photographs of debris piled in front of residences in her neighborhood.

“This is a relatively small town so on streets such as my street — it’s only about 12-feet wide — so if trash containers are left at the curb on non-trash days, it does create a driving hazard as well as a walking hazard particularly for kids going to and from school,” she said.

Lehman also addressed the council about the language of the proposed amendment and efforts to assess a fee for residents not removing their trash cans in a timely manner, telling people what they can or can’t do in their own yards and lack of enforcement.

“When you have no enforcement, one household’s noncompliance affects the whole neighborhood,” she said. “And when you have no enforcement, you actually have people who do not comply with anything.”

Lehman said she reviewed ordinances from Jeff Davis and Cameron parishes, as well as Abbeville and Welsh and found the measures typically included time frames for placing and removing cans, proper storage of cans, lot cleanness ordinances, trash ordinances, junk car and junk trailer ordinances, fines and other languages to ensure a safe and clean environment for communities.

Mayor Henry Guinn contends removing the trash cans will improve the city’s appearance and ease traffic flow through some neighborhoods with narrow streets.

“This is a very simple ordinance to make sure our streets are more passable, clean our neighborhoods up and protect the safety of children who may be running in and out of the street,” Guinn said.

If adopted at the council’s Sept. 11 meeting, residents would be asked to bring their trash cans from the curb back up to the residence and preferably out of sight within 24 hours of pickup or face written warnings issued by the city inspector.

“It’s not something we want to go out and harass people on, but something that needs to be addressed,” Guinn said.

Under the proposal residents would receive two written warnings to remove their trash can from the curb within 24 hours. Failure to comply could eventually lead to a $25 fine assessed to the resident’s water and trash bill for each additional violation.

The $25 fine would be deposited in the city’s general fund.

‘It’s not something we want to go out and harass people on, but something that needs to be    addressed.’

Mayor Henry Guinn

City of Jennings

A trash can and mattresses line a residential street in Jennings recently. The city is looking at an ordinance that would require residents to remove their cans from the curb within 24 hours after weekly pick up, but the measure does not address timely removal of other debris.

Special to the American Press