Here is an open letter a friend of mine just shot off to River Parish Disposal. I thought it could use a larger audience. -Loki, HumidCity Founder.
Dear River Parish Disposal,
Though I love your witty tv ads, I must complain. One of your front-load container system dumpsters is in the middle of the road in the 1000 block of Independence Street. It is parked on the street, blocking the road, next to a vacant lot and has been there for about 2 months now. I live across the street at [REMOVED] and have observed people using the dumpster to dispose of garbage. It has a lock on it so only authorized people can use it, however it is not associated with any house on our block. The dumpster is starting to stink. It smells like someone dumped a gallon of aftershave on top of a bunch of rotting vegetables. This is not good for the quality of life in my neighborhood, which is doing its best to rebuild.
According to Sec. 10-136 of the CODE OF ORDINANCES City of NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (Neighborhood compatibility requirements) “No dumpster is permitted to be placed within the public right-of-way.”
This dumpster is DEFINITELY in the right of way. It’s in the middle of the street!
According to Sec. 146-584 of the CODE OF ORDINANCES City of NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (Permit required for placement of trash containers, dumpsters, etc., in the public right-of-way.):
“The placement of trash containers, receptacles, and dumpsters, … in the public right-of-way by contractors, builders, or others requiring the temporary use of curb space to facilitate work conducted by them in the immediate vicinity shall be allowed only after the issuance of a permit by the director of the department of public works.” There is no permit displayed on or near this dumpster, nor is there any work going in the immediate vicinity. It’s parked in front of a vacant lot.
To reiterate, this dumpster:
• Has no visible owner.
• Is sitting in the middle of a public thoroughfare
• Stinks.
• Is a health hazard.
• Violates several sections of the municipal code
The only recourse I have is to ask you, River Parish Disposal, to remove this dumpster from our street. Perhaps you can move it to wherever the people who rented it are actually doing work. Attempts to communicate with the people dumping garbage in the dumpster have failed.
I called your offices earlier about this problem but was disconnected. Please, can you resolve this problem before a car smashes into your dumpster, creating more destruction in an area that has already had it share?
I have copied my Councilman, James Carter, in the hopes that perhaps he can assist my neighborhood in alleviating this problem. A copy of the municipal code, which can also be found here: http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10040&sid=18
is available at the end of this message.
I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
dial_m
Sec. 10-136. Neighborhood compatibility requirements.
Under the provisions of this chapter, no permit shall be issued or renewed for any applicant who has not submitted evidence of complying with the following requirements:
(1) All alcoholic beverage outlets shall establish a litter abatement program, certified by the department of finance. Such program shall include the following items:
a. All trash receptacles, excluding dumpsters, shall be located inside of a structure and shall be placed in the public right-of-way on pick-up days only;
b. All litter shall be cleared from the site of the ABO, the adjacent public right-of-way and any accessory parking lot on a daily basis;
c. The applicant shall sweep the public right-of-way adjacent to the petitioned site and any accessory parking lot daily and shall periodically clear it with a watering hose as needed;
d. Assignment must be made of a particular individual, be it the manager, owner, etc., as the contact person to notify should a violation of the litter abatement program occur;
(2) The applicant shall screen any dumpster used in conjunction with the petitioned site which is visible from the public right-of-way or parking area with a six-foot opaque fence with gates. No dumpster is permitted to be placed within the public right-of-way.
(M.C.S., Ord. No. 19,389, § 1, 9-16-99)
Sec. 146-584. Permit required for placement of trash containers, dumpsters, etc., in the public right-of-way.
The placement of trash containers, receptacles, and dumpsters, hereafter referred to as dumpsters for purposes of this section, in the public right-of-way by contractors, builders, or others requiring the temporary use of curb space to facilitate work conducted by them in the immediate vicinity shall be allowed only after the issuance of a permit by the director of the department of public works, who is authorized to impose conditions on the issuance thereof. If the curb space to be utilized, or any portion thereof, is regulated by parking meters, then the space designated for dumpster placement shall be in coincidence with the confines of the metered space for such placement. The director of the department of public works shall collect from the applicant for such permit a fee in the amount of $700.00, in addition to a fixed application of $35.00. The permit issued by the department of public works shall be valid for a period not to exceed 45 days, and may be renewed for additional 45-day periods provided that the contractor, builder, or other applicant makes a request for renewal at least five working days prior to the expiration of the effective permit.
(Code 1956, § 61-131.1; Ord. No. 20,001, § 1, 1-18-01)
