Wellington, FL Hurricane Preparedness: Storm Debris (2026)

Section 13-3(D) of Wellington's Code of Ordinances addresses solid waste before and during storm events. Subsection (D)(1) requires all pre-storm season vegetation trimming to be completed each year before April 30, a deadline the Village adopted because pre-storm trimming reduces the debris and damage a storm generates and protects the health, safety and welfare of residents and property owners. Once any part of Wellington is placed under a hurricane or tropical storm watch or warning by the National Hurricane Center of NOAA or the State of Florida, Subsection (D)(2)(a) takes over: trash containers, vegetation containers, recycling containers, vegetative waste and bulk trash cannot be set at the curb on a non-collection day, and cannot be allowed to accumulate on the property either.

Subsection (D)(2)(b) then addresses what happens once Wellington or its franchised hauler actually stops picking up ahead of the storm: the property owner becomes responsible for removing or securing trash, vegetation and recycling containers so they cannot become a hazard during the storm itself, and for removing or securing any bulk or other waste material on the property for the same reason. In practice, a resident cannot use an approaching storm as an excuse to pile extra bulk trash or a season's worth of trimmings at the curb; anything not already collected has to come off the curb and be secured on the property until collection resumes. The Village enforces the storm provisions through the same property-maintenance citation and special magistrate process that covers the rest of Section 13-3.