West Cook News

The modernization of the Fall Leaf Collection Program—the first since 1994—will address resident concerns over potential safety hazards created by leaf piles, streamline the leaf collection process, and reduce confusion over parking restrictions. The changes follow a case study conducted by the Village of Oak Park on 150 Illinois municipalities to identify best practices for leaf collection.

Oak Park’s annual fall leaf collection period typically runs from late October to early December. Previously, the Village used a pile model in which large piles of loose leaves were consolidated at street corners for collection.

This year, residents will no longer place leaves in the street near the curb. Instead, they can choose from various leaf collection options aimed at improving safety, sustainability, and efficiency. These options include:

- Bagging fallen leaves in yard waste bags and/or rigid containers and placing them in the parkway by the curb—no yard waste sticker required

- Composting leaves via the Village’s CompostAble program

- Mulching leaves with a mower

- Leaving the leaves on lawns or gardens to decompose naturally

Additional details and answers to frequently asked questions about the changes to the Fall Leaf Collection Program can be found on the Village website at www.oak-park.us/leafcollection.

In addition to offering choices for residents, the changes are expected to provide benefits such as increased tree and soil health through mulching, enhanced public safety by removing leaf piles to improve visibility on streets and public ways, and potential cost reductions for collection. The changes will also resolve inconvenient parking disruptions caused by overnight leaf-pushing and daytime collection of piles that previously reduced parking availability disproportionately in affected areas.

Under the new system, Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS), Oak Park’s residential waste hauler, will have dedicated compost trucks and leaf crews that will collect bags and empty rigid landscape containers from the parkway according to a route and schedule set by Public Works staff. A Village-wide make-up day is included in the weekly Fall Leaf Collection schedule to supplement areas with higher leaf volumes or catch up after inclement weather events.

As part of this transition, Oak Park plans to expand its Sidewalk Shoveling Program—typically used to assist income-eligible residents who cannot physically shovel snow nor afford a shoveling service—to also assist with fall leaf services.

The Village will broadly communicate additional details about these changes via its website, social media channels, e-newsletter, OP/FYI newsletter, local media outlets, and more. Staff will also attend community events during the coming months to discuss these changes with residents and answer questions in person.

For questions about the new Fall Leaf Collection Program, please call 708.358.5700 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.