The city may now fine property owners who prematurely place bulky refuse items along curbsides prior to scheduled pickup dates. Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell today signed into law Bill 78.

“Unfortunately, a few property owners and tenants abuse this public service by setting out piles of broken furniture and other junk long before regularly scheduled pickup dates, which encourages others to dump even more material there,” Caldwell said in a news release. “Our goal is to discourage this practice and the unsightly and dangerous problems it creates, by going after those habitual abusers and not innocent property owners.”

Bill 78 allows the City to assess fines of $250 per day for each violation. Caldwell emphasized that City inspectors will use discretion to avoid citing innocent owners of property where others have dumped bulky items without the property owner’s knowledge or permission.

The City has a regular monthly schedule to collect bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, bed frames and appliances. Such items may be placed at the curb no earlier than the evening before the first scheduled pickup date for a particular area, and no later than 6 a.m. of the first scheduled pickup date.

For a detailed schedule of areas and pickup periods, go to www.opala.org or call 768-3202.