Leaf collection for St. Charles residents is underway, expected to go through Dec. 5, according to the city.

Pickup began Oct. 27 for residents east of the Fox River.

The City’s contractor, Kramer Tree Specialists, is expected to complete three collection cycles by Dec. 5.

Residents can track the daily progress of the collection crews using the progress map on the City’s website.

In addition to curbside collections, Lakeshore Recycling Systems will provide free bagged leaf collection Dec. 1 through Dec. 30, on regular refuse collection days.

Leaf collection guidelines

• Have leaves on the parkway by 6:30 a.m. on the beginning day of pickup for your area. It may take three to four days for leaves to be collected in a specific area, depending on the volume of leaves and weather conditions. 
• Lead piles won’t be picked up if obstructed by parked vehicles or other obstacles. Once the obstruction has been removed, the piles will be picked up during the next scheduled collection date. 
• Inclement weather or a large volume of leaves could alter the leaf pickup schedule. 
• A smaller truck will collect leaves in cul-de-sacs. 
• Rake leaves in a row parallel to the street, ensuring they are at least 1 foot back from the curb and clear of the sidewalk. (Raking leaves into the street can clog storm sewers and cause flooding, and is a violation punishable by a fine up to $500 for each offense.) 
• Avoid raking foreign materials into leaf piles as these could damage equipment or cause injury to personnel. 
• Maintain approximately 10 feet between leaf piles and permanent structures, such as fire hydrants, trees and streetlight poles. 
• Leaf piles will not kill grass although they may cause it to discolor. 

Areas not included in pickup

The St. Charles leaf pickup program is funded by a portion of the fee collected on the utility bills of eligible homeowners, according to the city. Residents should check their utility bill or call Utility Billing at 630.377.4426 with questions about their eligibility for the program.

Leaf collections aren’t available for the following subdivisions/areas:

• Cumberland Green 
• Whittington Course, Royal Fox private streets, Dunham Place Commons, Delnor Townhomes, Delnor Glen Drive 
• Townes of Fox Chase 
• Walnut Hill Townhomes 
• Viewpointe 
• Willowgate 
• Wildrose Springs Townhomes, Auburn Court, Benham Court, Oak Crest 
• Brownstones 

For more information about the program, visit stcharlesil.gov, or contact the City’s Public Works Department at 630-377-4405 or pw@stcharlesil.gov, or Kramer Tree Specialists at 630-293-5444.