Des Moines metro cities offering debris cleanup services after Tuesday's storm. What to know:
Branches, trash and other debris may have blown into your yard after serious storms rolled through the entire state of Iowa on Tuesday. Cities in the metro are offering debris clean-up services to help their residents.
See which metro cities are offering clean-up services:
Ankeny
The city of Ankeny has moved up its tree and branch recycling event to Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the City Maintenance Facility at 211 S.E. Lorenz Drive.
City staff will be onsite to assist residents.
Trees and branches that have a trunk size no larger than 8 inches in diameter and no smaller than 1 inch in diameter will be accepted.
Twigs, tree roots, stumps, yard waste or other storm debris will not be accepted.
Residents are asked to have the cut end of their branches stacked at the end of their vehicles for easy removal.
Commercial vehicles and trucks larger than a pickup are prohibited from participating in this program.
Homeowners are encouraged to work with their private trash hauler or tree service to arrange for pickup if they are unable to transport the fallen trees and branches or if the size of the tree is larger than what is accepted.
This event is free for Ankeny residents living within city limits only. Proof of residency is required.
After surveying the damage within the city, in accordance with the city's debris management plan, the damage from Tuesday's storms did not meet the criteria for curbside pickup or a drop-off site.
Clive
The city of Clive will be offering curbside collection services for tree debris. This service will be for Clive residents living east of Interstates 80 and 35, where the city saw the most impact from Tuesday's storm.
Residents are asked to put their debris on the curb no later than Tuesday, May 28, when collection will begin.
Debris must meet these requirements in order to be picked up:
Tree debris must be cut down to an 18-inch diameter or less.
Tree trunks and branches must be cut into 4-foot sections or shorter so crews can safelymanage them.
Clive crews will not collect stumps and very wide trunks that aren’t cut down to amaximum of 18 inches in diameter and 4 feet long on their initial pass throughneighborhoods.
Place limbs and logs with the wider end facing the curb so crews can more easily pickthem up and feed them into the woodchipper.
Separate large, heavy trunks and branches from smaller debris.
Keep tree debris away from hydrants, mailboxes and utility boxes.
Small plant materials like leaves, stems and twigs should be placed in yard waste bagsor appropriate carts and put on the curb on a regular collection day.
Des Moines
The city of Des Moines will begin offering free curbside collection for Monday, Wednesday and Friday collection customers. Monday's collection will take place on Tuesday, May 28 because of Memorial Day.
Residents may also bring their yard and tree debris to the city's compost center at 1601 Harriet Street from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 25.
All regular yard waste guidelines (except for the green Compost It! sticker requirement) still apply, meaning large tree, branch or stump removal will need to be done through a contractor.
Johnston
The city of Johnston will offer curbside collection services for trees and branches damaged by Tuesday's storm. Although major debris that obstructed roads has already been collected, collection services will be offered for Johnston residents on Tuesday, May 28.
Debris must meet these requirements:
Branches up to 18 inches in diameter and no longer than 10 feet in length are accepted.
Anything over 18 inches will need to be picked up by a private contractor.
When placing debris along the curb, please ensure it is parallel to the public street to allow for easy collection.
Materials must not be placed on a public street or blocking a sidewalk or trail.
City crews are not permitted to go onto private property to remove or clean up storm-related tree debris.
Residents are encouraged to utilize the Metro Waste Authority Compost-It! program for smaller debris that is typically handled by this program.
Residents are required to set out debris before 6 a.m. Tuesday. City crews will only make a single pass through the city for cleanup.
Urbandale
The city of Urbandale is offering free curbside collection of debris immediately, according to a release from the city. Residents can put their debris on the curb for collection up until Tuesday, May 28.
Debris must meet these guidelines:
Tree branches must be placed on city right-of-way parallel to the curb. The placement of branches in the same direction as the street and/or sidewalk allows mechanical equipment to load the material efficiently and minimize damage to the right-of-way. Crews will not be collecting material that is on private property.
Branches cannot exceed 18 inches in diameter.
Branches cannot exceed 12 feet in length.
Residents are encouraged to utilize the Metro Waste Authority Compost-It! program for smaller debris that is typically handled by this program.
Garden vegetation and incidental trimming and branches from trees not damaged from the storm should not be placed out for collection.
Tree branches should not be placed near fire hydrants, mailboxes, utilities or any other item in the right-of-way which could be damaged by equipment during the collection.
No tree material from work done by private contractors should be placed on the right-of-way for collection. Contractors are required to haul away any tree debris that is a result of their work.
Waukee
The city is not doing special cleanup.
West Des Moines
The city of West Des Moines will make a single pass through the city to pick up large yard debris from Tuesday's storm.
Collection will begin Tuesday, May 28. Debris must meet these requirements:
Branches of any size will be picked up, but they must be placed on the city right-of-way (the area between the curb and the sidewalk) and “parallel” to the curb. The placement of branches in the same direction as the street and/or sidewalk allows mechanical equipment to load the material efficiently and minimizes damage to the right-of-way. Crews will not be collecting material on private property.
Tree branches should not be placed in close proximity to vehicles, fire hydrants, mailboxes, utilities or any other item in the right-of-way which could be damaged by heavy equipment during collection. Please do not park vehicles on the street. The large trucks need room to safely remove yard debris from the curb.
Tree material from work done by private contractors should not be placed on the right-of-way for collection. Contractors are required to haul away any tree debris that is a result of their work.
Cleanup will start on the east side of West Des Moines and will move west as quickly as possible.
Windsor Heights
Windsor Heights is offering curbside collection for trees and branches that may have fallen in Tuesday's storm.
Cleanup will happen starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29. Debris will need to be placed curbside before Tuesday evening.
Debris must meet these requirements in order to be picked up:
Only vegetative debris from the storm will be accepted, such as tree limbs or branches with a maximum 6 feet in length and 16 inches in diameter. Small vegetation or woodchips will not be picked up. Residents will be responsible for clearing small debris not picked up.
Do not place debris for pick-up on a concrete surface such as a driveway or sidewalk. Anything on concrete will not be picked up.
If your right-of-way space is tight or limited, place debris between the curb and sidewalk on grass.
If you are using a professional service to cut limbs, they should dispose of the limbs per their usual practice.
All central Iowa residents are encouraged to bring waste to their nearest Metro Waste collection facility if they are unable to partake in curbside or collection services for their debris from Tuesday's storm.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines metro cities offer cleanup services after Tuesday's storm
