Council to Weigh Trash Fines, Street Bills
City Council’s Committee on Streets and Services meets Monday to take up nine bills, including one that would cancel trash fines when the city itself misses a pickup.
The public hearing starts Monday, November 9, at 2 PM in Room 400, City Hall. A committee meeting follows immediately to consider action on the items. Copies of the bills are available in the Chief Clerk’s office, Room 402, or online at phila.legistar.com.
The lead bill comes from 5th District Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. Bill 260698 would exempt residents from certain trash fines when the city fails to collect on the scheduled day. A pickup would count as missed if trash or recycling set out for the scheduled day is not collected by 11:59 PM, including a partial pickup for whatever is left behind.
Fines from the start of the missed collection day until the materials are picked up would be canceled, covering set out times, containers, bags, recycling separation, weight limits, and piled up trash. Where city records show the pickup was missed, the agency would cancel the fine on its own, with no application needed. Fines already paid would be refunded within 60 days, with late charges and collection costs canceled too.
The bill would take effect 60 days after enactment and apply only to missed collections after that. It would not touch fines issued before the missed collection day, commercial pickup, or private haulers. Young introduced the bill September 17, and Monday is its first hearing.
The issue is not new. During widespread pickup delays in June 2021, the city still issued more than 1,000 tickets for trash related offenses, according to Billy Penn reporting.
Two other bills deal with large vehicles on city streets. Councilmember Cindy Bass’s Bill 260765 would add the 8th District to the city’s limits on parking boats, motor homes, campers, and recreational trailers on the street. Councilmember Mark Squilla’s Bill 260854 would change the rules for towing or immobilizing boats, motor homes, truck campers, and vending carts.
The rest of the agenda covers a two way traffic change on Dupont Street, from the westernmost portion of Baker Street to Smick Street, in a bill held in committee since 2025; planters near 3001 Chestnut Street; an encroachment at 1849 Walnut Street; a street plan change on Hartwell Lane; a sidewalk cafe near 2655 S. 18th Street; and a bill from Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Rue Landau to rename Osler Circle to Roberts Way.
A bill approved in committee needs a first reading and then a second reading before a final vote. Council meets November 12 and November 19. To report a missed pickup, residents can call 311.
