What can be done about people leaving their trash and trash cans on sidewalks and common areas on non trash pickup days? Trash is being left on the ground after cats or dogs get into loose bags, leaving the area and owner's property looking bad.  

Unfortunately some people don't clean up after themseilves.  You have several options.  1st contact the HOA at HOA@BerryValleyHOA.org (Copy the Management company at JSheehy@DHBader.com) with addresses & pictures of the trash & dates/times of the incident.  Letters will be sent to the homeowners to correct the situation. 

 

2nd contact the Charles County Health Dept. www.Charlescountyhealth.org or 301-609-6900 or after hours emergency 301-609-3599 about the trash & animals & a citation may be issued. 

 

3rd you can talk with the neighbors (or put a note on their trash cans) however, if they dont have the respect to clean up after themselves we don't expect them to act respectfully.   Be careful.  Thanks for your concern with keeping Berry Valley a nice place to live.  We need more residents like you!

 

The problem isn't with people leaving out trash cans. I believe the problems are: 1. Residents who don't bring their trash cans to the front. Instead, they put out trash bags, which animals and birds open. 2. Residents aren't securing the trash in the cans within trash bags. When the waste management workers empty the trash cans, they let loose debris fall out of the can. The trash blows all over the place. 3. Residents who see that their trash has blown onto a neighbors yard and don't pick it up. We all know the items we throw away. 4. In addition, trash comes from residents who drop it, resident's guest, resident's children, and people who throw trash out of cars as they drive through the neighborhood. As a person who's had two knee surgeries, I leave my trash can out front because the path that I have to follow to get the can around front floods, is often muddy, and consists of a large hill. Try pulling a full trash can up a hill. I've had it tip over many times. This is very dangerous and unsafe. I understand the concern about trash cans but there are more important issues in the community. I'd much rather see a safer solution to dragging the cans through mud, rain, sleet, snow and other unsafe conditions.