There appears to be a very large trash problem within OUR community of Stonefield. The last two trash days, which is Wednesday for most residents, has been very windy. During these windy conditions unsecured trash container lids blow open causing unsecured trash within the containers to blow around the neighborhood. Another issue is the placement of boxes and bags outside the trash container. These items tend to just blow away if not secured with some sort of weight.

Most of the trash collects in the stormwater management pond, the parks, the open spaces around the perimeter of the community and in our neighbors yards. It is not fair for our neighbors to handle trash that is not theirs. The collection of trash in the stormwater management pond will require additional maintenance in order to comply with New Castle County and the State of Delaware?’s Regulations for stormwater management ponds. Additional maintenance WILL increase our annual assessments.

Therefore, since the Stonefield Maintenance Corporation has received countless complaints from residents regarding the blowing trash issue, we are instituting a no tolerance policy. Starting this Wednesday, February 13, 2008, all trash containers that do not have secured lids will be reported to New Castle County Code Enforcement. In addition, any trash caught blowing outside of a secured container will also be reported to New Castle County Code Enforcement.

We suggest utilizing some sort of strap or bungee cord to secure the trash container lids. Although New Castle County code does not permit the placement of trash such as bags or boxes outside of a secured container, we do understand that there may be ?“special occasions?” where this may be needed. We suggest weighing down, strapping, or taping these items to prevent them from blowing away.

Let?’s keep OUR community looking good!!! It is in EVERYONE?’S best interest.

Time Saver

I'll save the folks doing an inspection on Mica Street. 9 Mica's can is already flapping in the breeze and half the trash is blowing around the neighborhood.

I guess thats what happens when you put your trash out on Saturday afternoon for a Wednesday pick up.

Maybe they should have put the hose that has been hanging on their fence for the last year + on top of their can, or the lawnmower that has sat without moving for the last two years (almost three).

Re the Urgent Notice

I apppreciate the Corporation's efforts to keep the community clean and agree that blowing trash has been a problem. I have a few suggestions for future notices that are placed in our mailboxes. Please print them on corporation letterhead and include board members' names as the notices represent official communication from the board; I was unsure who had written the Urgent Notice (the corporation's name doesn't appear until halfway down the text). The same applies to posting notices here; please establish an account name (e.g. The Board) instead of using ''Anonymous.'' Also, I would have appreciated a softer tone in your notice; after all, no one let the trash blow around on purpose! It just happened. And my family has cleaned up ours and others' trash on both days. I think a warning notice first--then a ''zero tolerance'' letter would have been more appropriate. Some residents may not have realized that the county does not allow trash to be placed outside the container. Finally, I suggest that instead of reporting offenders to the county, you send a gentle reminder to them first noting the dates, etc. that you found their trash container not in compliance along with a statemednt that future infractions will be reported to the county. Again, I thank you for your efforts to keep Stonefield clean and I recognize that yours is a difficult job. And I hope that in the future you will consider a softer approach in your communications.
Thanks.

Re the Urgent Notice

Hello Regina,

Thank you for your suggestion to print our notices to the community on our letterhead. We usually do. This was an oversight in order to get the notice out before the next trash day. We were inundated with complaints from the community and had to work very quickly. In the future, notices via the website will not be labelled ''anonymous''. This was also an oversight. Now, that said, we are four people (volunteers) with homes, family, jobs, etc. and, unfortunately, we do not have the time available to survey the neighborhood on Wednesdays, send warnings to individuals first, keep records of dates and addresses of infractions, etc. We already keep those kinds of records for such things as deed restrictions and financials. It is a lot of work and we have no Management company to assist us. We are doing our best. It was our intention to warn the community via this ''one and only'' notice that their trash must be secure. It was necessary for the notice to be strongly worded, in order that it be taken seriously. We appreciate your interest in the community.