Who Has to Rake the Leaves Between the Sidewalk and the Street? What City Rules Actually Say

What city codes say

• Charlotte, North Carolina: property owners must maintain grass and vegetation "all the way to the curb," including the planting strip between the sidewalk and the street. The city code also covers leaves and grass clippings piling up on public ways. Fines for vegetation violations start at $150 (City of Charlotte).
• Elkhart, Indiana: the owner, occupant or tenant must keep the sidewalk and the area between the sidewalk and the curb free of weeds, branches, rubbish and debris (Elkhart Code § 97.030).
• West Point, Utah: owners and occupants must maintain the "parkway" by removing litter and trimming plants, and must clear their sidewalks (West Point City Code 12.05.100).
• Homeowner associations: in some communities, such as Mountain House, California, the duty to maintain the parkway strip is written into the documents owners sign when they buy the home.

Note the word "tenant" in some of these rules. If you rent, the duty may fall on you, your landlord or both, depending on the city and your lease.

The one thing not to do: rake them into the street

The easiest option looks like pushing everything into the gutter for the street sweeper. Many cities forbid exactly that, because leaves clog storm drains and cause street flooding.

• Wichita, Kansas: it is unlawful to rake, sweep or move leaves into streets, gutters or drains. The city treats it as illegal dumping, with a fine of $371.50. A city spokesperson told the Wichita Eagle that first-time offenders are usually educated before a citation is issued.
• Dallas, Texas: blowing grass and leaves into the street or storm drains violates the city code, with fines of up to $2,000. The city says it spends more than $920,000 a year cleaning debris out of storm drain inlets (City of Dallas). Homeowners can also be held responsible when a hired landscaper does it.
• Olney, Illinois: placing leaves in a public street or storm drain opening is prohibited, with fines from $75 to $750.

Some cities do the opposite: they run seasonal leaf collection and ask residents to rake leaves to the curb on set dates. Those programs have their own rules, so check before you pile them up.

How to find your local rule

1. Search your city's code of ordinances for terms like "right-of-way," "planting strip," "tree lawn," "parkway" or "leaves."
2. Check your city's public works or sanitation page for leaf collection dates.
3. If you can't find it, call 311 or the public works office.
4. If you live in an HOA, read your community rules as well.

Or skip the raking altogether

On your own lawn, leaves don't always need to go anywhere. Kansas State University extension agents describe leaves as "an excellent source of organic matter for the soil once composted or broken down naturally." Running a mower over a thin layer chops them into mulch that feeds the grass. A thick, wet layer is different: it can smother the lawn, so rake or compost the excess. Keep the sidewalk itself clear, too, since wet leaves are slippery.

The strip by the curb may be public land, but in many cities the rake is yours. When in doubt, keep the leaves out of the street.