City of Kenosha To Crack Down Illegally Placed Bulk Trash

Kenosha, WI (WLIP)–The Kenosha Common Council is trying to crack down on residents who leave bulk trash items in the street without scheduling a pick-up with the city.

Currently residents get five bulk pick ups at no additional charge from the city.

However complaints over illegally placed bulk items in the streets ballooned to 4,500 last year-up from 3,000 in 2021.

City staff haven’t been able to crack down on the violations due to lack of staff availability.

Now the city has contracted with a third party business to make the pickups after proper notification.

Kenosha Director of Public Works Brian Cater says that will allow for easier enforcement of the rules.

“This is following the current ordinance. This is simply putting another ability for us to enforce that ordinance.” Cater said.

While the measure passed the council some alderpersons expressed concerns that it could still take nearly a week for the mess to be cleaned up.

However Director Cater points out that the changes will at least allow for the process to begin by notifying homeowners they’re in violation of the rules.

“Currently those notices are not going out. Part of the policy change, having this in place,  would be that those notices do get put into place and then follow through with the enforcement.”

The homeowner would have to reimburse the city for the clean-up costs if the contractor does have to come out and pick up the bulky trash items.