CITY OF JOLIET GUIDELINES

The City of Joliet would like to remind residents of a few guidelines related to fallen leaves and other seasonal yard waste.

Residents are encouraged to dispose of leaves utilizing yard waste guidelines provided by Waste Management. To summarize, yard waste must be placed in either brown paper yard waste bags or in clearly labeled 32-gallon containers. YARD WASTE ONLY labels are available at no charge at Joliet City Hall and Joliet Jewel Osco store locations. The last week for yard waste pick up is December 2-6, 2024.

Pushing leaves onto the street is a hazardous and a fineable offense. The presence of leaves in the street and on the parkway can close off catch basins and cause drainage problems, as well as increasing the chance of vehicular and pedestrian accidents on slippery leaf-covered streets. City street sweepers cannot pass over or pick up large piles of leaves and will avoid them, resulting in uncleared streets. 

While the use of commercial fire pits is allowed within City limits, the fire pit must meet predetermined criteria, listed below. It can be tempting to burn leaves as a means of disposal but please remember that leaves, wooden pallets, treated lumber, and garbage are not to be used as fuel in an outdoor fire pit. Open burning (burning any fuel without the use of an approved fire pit) is prohibited.

FIREPIT CRITERIA

The Joliet Fire Department would like to remind residents the criteria for using a commercial fire pit within City limits.

• Commercially sold steel outdoor fire pits that are on legs attached to a steel bottom, wire mesh sides and a top are approved.
• A fire extinguisher or garden hose must be available to extinguish the fire, if necessary.
• Approved outdoor pits shall be not less than 15 feet away from a structure or fence.
• Fuel (wooden logs or artificial logs) shall fit inside the confines of the wire mesh, and the top shall be in place to be legal. Wooden pallets, treated deck wood, leaves, dimensional lumber, or garbage shall not be used as fuel in an outdoor fire pit.
• Be aware that although it is legal to burn in an approved outdoor fire pit, if it is believed to be offensive or objectionable by the complainant due to smoke, flames, sparks, or odor omissions, then the homeowner shall extinguish the fire immediately. In addition, a police officer on the scene may issue a compliance ticket to the homeowner for creating a public nuisance or being in violation of the International Fire Code 2015 Section 307.4.3 “Prohibited Open Burning” which states: “Open burning that will be offensive or objectionable because of smoke or odor emissions when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous shall be prohibited. The fire code official is authorized to order the extinguishment by the homeowner or the fire department of open burning which creates or adds to a hazardous or objectionable situation.”