Board calls for review of county leaf pickups

Among the resolutions approved by the Board of Supervisors last week, one addresses leaf collections, and another deals with the need for apartments to have pet-friendly policies.

Mason District residents were told to put their leaves on the curb in early November but in some cases, the leaves weren’t picked up until a month later, said Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez.

“This creates a number of challenges, primarily around safety in neighborhoods where there are no sidewalks,” Jimenez said.

Residents put their leaves on the curb expecting them to be vacuumed up on a certain day. When that doesn’t happen, the wind blows the leaves back on their yard.

“Many of our residents who are seniors often pay for a company to blow their leaves to the road for collection and, given the delay, some have had to pay for this service multiple times,” Jimenez said.

The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services “made tremendous progress with the amount of leaves collected” – a total of 4,761 tons equating to 2,030 truckloads, he noted. And while DPWES has improved information sharing with residents, “there are areas in which we could improve.”

The resolution calls for DPWES to develop a communication and implementation plan for the 2025-26 leaf collection program. That would include a public information session at the Mason Government Center for staff to present the after-action report for the 2024-25 season and a review of changes being implemented for the next leaf season.

Jimenez also requests a virtual meeting be scheduled for all county residents who receive leaf collection service from DPWES.

Related story: Jimenez works to retain leaf vacuuming

The BoS also passed a motion proposed by Supervisor Rodney Lusk (Franconia) that encourages multifamily communities to have pet-friendly policies.  

The resolution directs the county executive to convene an informational roundtable for the Apartment and Office Building Owners Association, the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and leading affordable and market-rate landlords “to learn from our animal shelter professionals about the benefits of pet-friendly housing policies.”

“Pet ownership can be a real enhancement to the quality of life,” Lusk said. “For many, the comfort and companionship pets provide is irreplaceable.”

Pet-friendly housing is hard to find, however, as many apartments charge an additional fee and a monthly rent for pets or ban them outright. As a result, many renters have to give up their pets. The scarcity of affordable housing with reasonable pet policies is particularly burdensome for lower-income pet owners.