Curbside Trash Service

As Chesterfield County prepares to end their curbside recycling program (Chesterfield County Curbside Recycling Statement) many members throughout the Birkdale Community have voiced their concerns regarding the Architectural Standards and Guidelines around Backyard Only Trash Pickup. Those articles within our guidelines that address trash pickup are:

Architectural Standards and Guidelines

7.02 TRASH (Refer to Section 6.31 Service Yards)

  1. No curbside pickup of trash is permitted. Trash and other refuse are to be disposed of on a weekly basis and no refuse, trash or bulk materials may be accumulated or stored on any lot
  2. Containers must be properly screened and stored in such a manner so that they cannot be seen from the street and adjacent residences.
  3. Curbside pickup of recycling materials only is allowed. No recycling bins may remain in the front of the home past 7:00 p.m. that day.
  1. Builders/contractors are prohibited from fencing waste and construction debris and are required on each building lot or site to provide a roll off waste container of suitable size to accommodate waste from the construction of the building on the lot.
  2. Builders/contractors are required to pick up all debris and waste daily and place in waste container (see d above).

6.31 SERVICE YARDS

NOTE: The Birkdale ARC Guidelines & Standards document states in Section 7.02 B that “Trash containers must be properly screened and stored in such a manner so that they cannot be seen from the street and adjacent residences”. Additionally, Section 3.15 of the Single Family Protections, a Declaration of Covenants, Easements and Restrictions states that “All trash cans and other trash receptacles shall be kept within the enclosed or screened area so as not to be visible from any street or adjacent Single Family Lot.”

  1. It is preferred that service yards be provided for every lot which incorporates HVAC equipment, generators, and trash receptacles.
  2. The service yard(s) should be located on the side of the house with direct access to the driveway
  3. All service yards must be screened on the side fronting the street and adjacent residence. For corner lots, both sides fronting the street must be screened. Acceptable screening materials include wood (finished or unfinished and salt treated) vertical boards with a maximum of 1″ spacing, wood posts and lattice, and vinyl posts and lattice. The screening must be properly supported, level, and plumb. The height must be at least as high as the equipment/item to be screened. The overall dimensions shall not exceed 5′ in height, 5′ in width and 8′ in length.
  4. Alternatively, homes that do not have service yards may store their trash cans in the garage or in the back of the house, hidden and not visible from the street. On the day of pick-up, trash cans may be moved to the front of the house, not the curb, and must be returned to the storage area by 7:00 p.m. on that day.

Survey Results

Members have been vocal on how they wish this issue to be addressed. In general there are three themes:

Backyard Service Only

  • We moved to Birkdale and agreed to the Bylaws and ARC standards AS-IS and our expectation is that they remain the same. When residents moved to Birkdale they were well aware of the standards and agreed to them. We want to keep the neighborhood looking its best and having trashcans on the street everyday of the week to accommodate multiple trash companies is an eyesore.

Curbside Service

  • WE should have the right to choose a vendor based on the best value for the service provided, and backyard service cost is rising. The standards are preventing me from pursuing a low-cost trash service option. Everyone should be able to choose their own vendor regardless of service days and cans being on the curbside throughout the week.

Limited Curbside Service

  • The HOA should contract one vendor for the entire neighborhood, ensuring a single day for curbside trash pickup and redistribute the cost to all homeowners through raising HOA dues.

To better understand our member’s opinions the Board asked members to participate in an opinion poll. The response is below:

Birkdale is a planned community of over 650 homes in western Chesterfield County in the Hull St. corridor. The development was named for the Royal Birkdale Golf Course in England, and it is built around a privately owned golf course and lakes.