As you clear your yards and flower beds of fallen leaves, we would like to remind our residents that Dover Township does not provide curbside leaf clean-up. While we do clean what naturally falls into the waterways, Dover Township is not responsible for clean-up of leaves from private property.

It is imperative that we keep our creeks and ditches free of leaves and other debris to ensure that our culverts remain clear. Please do not blow, rake, or dump your leaves on township roadways or into waterways. It is illegal to dump debris from your private residence into township gutters and ditches.

If you are unable to compost your yard waste on your property, residents are encouraged to utilize Dover’s Yard Waste Collection Center. Located at 100 N. Tuscarawas Avenue behind the Waste Water Treatment Plant, the center is open 8a – 7p daily through April 30. Residents can drop-off grass, flower, and garden clippings; leaves; branches; and shrubs. Items must be unbagged.

If you intend to burn your leaves and other yard waste, please remember that all open burns must be more than 1,000 feet from any neighboring inhabited building. According to the Ohio Revised Code, ODNR prohibits outdoor open burning and controlled fires in March, April, May, October and November, between 6a and 6p. Additional EPA restrictions include:

• No burning when air pollution alert, warning, or emergency is in effect;
• Fire/smoke cannot obscure visibility on roadway, railways, or airfields;
• And no waste generated off the premises may be burned.

For more information about open burning in Ohio, visit epa.ohio.gov.