City Hosts Spring Cleanup Events, April 23
Spring is the time of year when citizens typically take advantage of the warmer weather to complete several spring cleaning chores around their homes. The City of Valdosta offers two free events this weekend that will provide free opportunities to properly dispose of your unwanted trash, and also positively impact city neighborhoods and the overall image of the city.
The Great American Cleanup, hosted by Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB), will take place on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in several locations around the city. The event gathers volunteers to pick up unsightly litter along sides of streets and other public places. To volunteer, contact KLVB at 229-671-3698 or email astrickland@valdostacity.com.
The Community-Wide Bulk Trash Amnesty Day, a major component of the Great American Cleanup, will also be held on April 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event, hosted by the City of Valdosta Neighborhood Development Division, allows citizens to make one trip per household to one of four city locations to dispose of bulk loads of garbage, at no cost to the citizens.
Citizens who bring their trash for disposal must bring a copy of their City of Valdosta Utilities Statement and a photo ID as proof of Valdosta residency. Valdosta citizens with cars, trucks and standard-sized trailers will be allowed only one trip to one of the following drop-off locations, where city employees and volunteers will be available to help citizens unload.
Zone 1: Greater Pleasant Temple Baptist Church Lot, located at 309 Cherry Street.
Zone 2: Scott Park, at Old Statenville Road and Continental Drive
Zone 3: City Hall Annex Parking Lot, at Lee Street and Smithland Drive
Zone 4: Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority, at 1901 N. Forrest St.
The City of Valdosta encourages citizens to take advantage of these free opportunities to dispose of unwanted items that are stored on their personal property. The maintenance of personal property plays a collective part in the overall stability, safety and economic development of every community. Here are a few friendly reminders to help keep your property and city clean and beautiful:
- Maintain your Property. Grass grows quicker in the warmer months and can be a chore to maintain. However, neighborhoods not only look nicer, they are also safer from rodents and snakes who enjoy hiding in the longer, cooler blades. As a friendly reminder, the city's ordinance allows the grass to be a maximum of eight inches in height (Ordinance No. 2011-37).
- Don't Litter. Most can agree that litter is unsightly and detracts from the beauty of our city. Citizens should remember that it is unlawful for any person or entity to scatter, throw, place, sweep, or deposit litter on public or private property in the city in such a manner that it may be carried by wind, rain, water or animals. However, sometimes littering can be unintentional, such as placing loose trash in the bed of a pickup truck, allowing the wind to scatter it onto the ground. In the U.S. an estimated $11.5 billion each year is spent on litter cleanup, according to Keep America Beautiful. By choosing not to litter, citizens are saving taxpayers dollars and keeping our community beautiful. (Ordinance 2007-45, Section 11-1013)
- Keep Signs out of Public Right-of-Way. Citizens should also be reminded that it is illegal to post signs in the public right-of-way. The city finds that excessive signs are distracting and dangerous to motorists and pedestrians, may be confusing to the public, and substantially detract from the beauty and appearance of the city and associated property values. Signs that litter the public right-of-way will be removed with no notification and will be held in a recycling bin located on the back dock of City Hall for a period of 14 days, during which time the owners may retrieve them. All signs must be located only on or over private property and outside any street or railroad right-of-way. (LDR, Chapter 230, Section 9).
Caring for our city begins with each one of us. Together, let's all commit to keeping our property attractive and well maintained, while also encouraging and helping our neighbors to keep Valdosta beautiful.