Brush Pick Up Policy
CITY OF LAKE MILLS
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Policy on Brush Pick-Up Services
The City of Lake Mills offers brush pick-up services for city residents. Residents can take advantage of free pick-up services offered twice annually, or can pay to have brush picked up during specific months of the year.
Brush is defined as limbs and branches from trees or shrubs. Leaves and garden weeds are not considered brush.
Brush to be picked up by appointment should be neatly stacked on the terrace with butt ends facing with flow of traffic and must not be mixed with other waste. Brush must NOT be placed on the terrace earlier than the Saturday that precedes the fourth Tuesday. These requirements have been put in effect to make the pick-up process quicker and, consequently, less expensive.
FREE BRUSH PICK-UP SERVICES
YARD WASTE CENTER
The city operates a Yard Waste Center on Stony Road located between CP Avenue and Topeka Drive. The Yard Waste Center is open every day to receive brush, leaves, grass clippings, wood and small amounts of concrete and asphalt debris.
Home demolition materials such as framing, drywall, and shingles can NOT be deposited, because they need to be properly landfilled by a certified waste hauler.
City crews WILL NOT remove yard waste from private property. All yard waste to be picked up must be on the terrace.
The Yard Waste Center is for use by City residents only.
STORM DAMAGE
Following a major storm event with winds in excess of 40 mph, or that causes wide-spread damage, free brush pickup will be available to City residents. The free brush pick-up will apply only to brush placed on the terrace within one week after the storm event. This service will be announced on the City's Website and Local Cable Access Channels 96/993-1 and 98/994-1. Brush to be picked up after a storm event should be neatly stacked on the terrace with butt ends facing with flow of traffic and must not be mixed with other waste.
HOLIDAY TREES
In January and February city crews will pick-up Christmas/Holiday trees that are neatly placed on the terrace with butt ends facing with flow of traffic. All decorations must be removed from the trees. Trees must NOT be in plastic bags.
FREE PICK-UP
Twice a year City crews conduct a free brush and yard waste pick-up. Brush must be neatly stacked with butt ends facing with flow of traffic placed on the terrace. Other yard waste (i.e., weeds, old plants, etc.) that is placed separately from the brush on the terrace will also be picked up.
The free pick-up will occur in April and October. The Spring brush pick-up will be the third Wednesday of April through the fourth Wednesday of April. The Fall brush pick-up will be the third Wednesday of October through the fourth Wednesday of October. Because these dates are weather dependent, changes to this schedule will be announced on the City's website and Local Cable Access Channels 96/993-1 and 98/994-1.
FEE-BASED PICK-UP SERVICES
From the fourth Tuesday in April to the fourth Tuesday in November, city crews will pick up brush by appointment on the fourth Tuesday of the month for a fee of $15.00. Appointments for brush pick up may be made by calling or visiting City Hall (920- 648-2344) no later than the Monday preceding the pickup date to arrange for payment. The fee must be paid before city crews remove the brush.
It is preferable to keep brush and tree limbs off the tree lawn to ensure this material does not block sidewalks or streets, become a hazard to pedestrians or vehicles, or cause an unsightly condition.
Consequently, at locations where brush is placed or allowed to accumulate on the terrace and no appointment is made for pick up, owners of property closest to the brush will be given a letter requesting the brush be removed and providing instructions on how and when to remove the material.
If the brush is not removed within two weeks of the letter being hand-delivered, City crews will remove the material and a fee of $30.00 will be assessed to the homeowner. Letters will not be given two weeks prior to the spring or fall pick up dates, instead the brush will remain on the terrace and removed during the Free Brush Pick-up Service.
Revised 11-2016, 11-2021, 4-2022