Clarkstown, NY Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Dumpster required
- all residential/commercial property
- Screening required in
- LO, PO, LS, CS, MRS, LIO, M, PED zones
- Enclosure height
- 1 ft above dumpster height
- Correction notice period
- 5 days
- First-offense fine
- up to $2,500
- Repeat-offense fine ceiling
- up to $15,000
Summary
Clarkstown requires every residential or commercial property to keep a dumpster, container or enclosure sized to hold its debris and litter, and in eight commercial/industrial zones that dumpster must sit inside an opaque fence or wall taller than the dumpster itself (Code § 216-3).
B. The owner, tenant or occupant of property being used for residential or commercial purposes located within the Town of Clarkstown is hereby required to maintain at all times one or more dumpsters, containers or enclosures of adequate size to temporarily store all nuisance, hazard, debris and litter until removed. The failure to comply with this subsection shall be deemed an offense. C. A dumpster in an LO, PO, LS, CS, MRS, LIO, M or PED Zone shall be surrounded on all sides by an opaque fence or wall enclosure of durable construction no lower than one foot above the height of the dumpster. All nonconforming preexisting dumpsters shall be conformed to this requirement within six months of the adoption of this chapter. The failure to comply with this subsection shall be deemed an offense.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 216 (Property Maintenance), rewritten in 2008, defines a 'dumpster, container or enclosure' as any enclosed or covered container used to temporarily collect nuisance, hazard, debris and litter (§ 216-2). Section 216-3B requires every owner, tenant or occupant of residential or commercial property in the unincorporated Town to maintain one or more dumpsters, containers or enclosures large enough to store that waste until it is hauled away; failing to keep one is itself an offense. Section 216-3C goes further for commercial and industrial districts: a dumpster located in an LO, PO, LS, CS, MRS, LIO, M or PED zone must be surrounded on all sides by an opaque fence or wall enclosure of durable construction that stands at least one foot taller than the dumpster, and any dumpster that predated the 2008 rewrite had six months from adoption to be brought into conformance.
The Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officials are specifically tasked under § 216-6D with directing the proper securing of dumpsters and issuing written notice of noncompliance, which gives the responsible party five days to correct the problem before further enforcement. Notice is served by posting a copy on the property and mailing a copy to the owner's address on the latest tax rolls (§ 216-6C).
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the dumpster-screening or maintenance rule carries a fine of up to $2,500, rising to $2,500-$5,000 for a second offense, $7,500-$10,000 for a third, and $10,000-$15,000 for a fourth or later offense within 18 months, with each week the violation continues counted as a separate offense (§ 216-7). If the owner ignores a five-day correction notice, the Town Board can hold a public hearing and have the dumpster or enclosure brought into compliance by a contractor, then bill the cost as a lien against the property (§ 216-8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which zones require a fenced dumpster enclosure in Clarkstown?
What happens if my commercial dumpster isn't screened?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clarkstown
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