Group / Neighborhood Trash Hauling

The city's open trash hauling system allows residents to choose their own haulers. However, this system often generates multiple garbage/recycling trucks servicing each neighborhood.

To alleviate truck traffic, residents who live on the same street, cul-de-sac or neighborhood can decide to use the same hauler to collect their garbage and recyclables. Groups that participate may realize several benefits, including:

• Increased traffic safety
• Decrease noise levels
• Decreased wear and tear on city streets, which may reduce the assessments to your property for roadway repairs
• Decreased potential for air/noise pollution

By setting up your neighborhood to be serviced by the same hauler(s), there also is the possibility of a reduced monthly rate and your group may also be able to request other services.

Organizing Your Neighborhood

1. Inform Neighbors
   Someone in your neighborhood will need to initiate setting up the neighborhood for collection services. The organizer can be one person, a couple of people, or a committee. The first task is to define the neighborhood (which homes will be included in the "group") and compile a list of addresses. This list will be used to inform neighbors. You can use a web-based mapping tool such a Google Maps or MapQuest, or simply walk through the neighborhood and compile a list.
   
   Next, reach out to neighbors to determine how many households are interested in participating in the program. Be sure to include the address of the neighborhood organizer so they know who to return it to.
   
   Sample Neighbor Letter (PDF)
2. Determine Priorities
   Once the neighborhood organizer has an estimate of the houses participating in the program, create a survey to hand out to interested neighbors (see sample survey from the City of Chanhassen (PDF)) to help determine which haulers best fit the needs of the neighborhood. Determining priorities when choosing a trash hauler may require a neighborhood meeting.
3. Choose Hauler(s)
   Once priorities have been agreed upon, contact different Licensed Haulers to determine options for services and rates. Work with interested neighbors to make a determination. After a consensus is reached, the hauler that was chosen needs to be informed of the participating residents. It is suggested that a list of the participating households be sent to the hauler with the name of the neighborhood organization so the hauler can check off the names as the residents call in to establish services.
4. Establish Collection Service
   Residents who choose to participate in the Neighborhood Block Rate Program must contact the chosen hauler to establish the new service. Each resident also needs to call their previous hauler to cancel their service. The neighborhood organizer may need to follow up with answers to additional questions from neighbors before service is established.
5. Contact New Residents
   If the neighborhood organizer knows of new residents in the neighborhood, they may want to send a letter or call to let them know about the collection program that has been established.