In an effort to prevent flooding, Woodbury toughens leaf law

HIGHLAND MILLS-In response to the flood problems last fall, the Woodbury Town Board has beefed-up enforcement in how residents get rid of their leaves and grass clippings. The tougher enforcement is necessary to prevent lawn waste from clogging catch basins and drain ditches. While residents have long been responsible for keeping leaves and bags clear of all drains and gutters, there has been great difficulty in enforcing this law. Up until now, the only one person capable of enforcing this law was the town Highway Supervisor Pete Stabile. He would personally have to witness a resident breaking the law and then call the police to issue the fine which could be anywhere up to $250. Residents are now responsible to put their leaves in town-approved bags and ensure that the bags remain clear of all water flow by placing those bags at the end of the property rather than in the street. The new law, approved at the board's Jan. 20 meeting, can now be enforced by any law enforcement official without the approval or notification of Stabile. The fine has been maintained and it is expected that people will comply with the new demands by purchasing approved leaf bags and placing them within the driveway rather than on the side of the road. The town highway department will then remove the bags from the driveway during pickups. These changes, town officials said, would save the highway department time and money because there would be fewer drains to clain. Stabile also said he was working with other town officials to obtain federal emergency assistance funding to repair streets damaged last fall. Meanwhile, town officials also began discussing a new snow law which will take place in February and will impact street parking during winter months. As in other surrounding towns, residents will be expected to keep cars off the streets during storms so that plows can access more locations. Additionally, this law will permit law enforcement officers to ticket cars without the complaint or order from the highway depart