Dearborn Heights, MI Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Sec. 36-253 applies to any commercial, industrial, or multi-family use in Dearborn Heights other than single- and two-family residential properties, which cannot have a dumpster at all under this section. Subsection (a)(1) requires the dumpster to sit in the rear yard, clear of required parking, accessible to the servicing truck, and no closer than ten feet to any building, while also meeting the district's standard setbacks and staying as far as practicable from any adjoining residential district. Subsection (a)(2) requires a concrete pad under the dumpster that extends at least three feet in front of the enclosure.

Subsection (a)(3) requires screening from adjoining property and public streets: three sides enclosed by a permanent building, decorative masonry wall, wood fencing, or earth mound at least six feet high, or one foot taller than the dumpster itself if that is higher, built in an ornamental design that harmonizes with the main building; the fourth side needs an opaque, lockable gate matching the height of the other three sides. Subsection (a)(4) sets material standards for wood screening, requiring pressure-treated No. 1 lumber and posts set forty-two inches into concrete.

Subsection (a)(5) requires bollards at the enclosure opening to protect the wall and gate from the dumpster or a collection vehicle. Subsection (a)(7) makes the property owner responsible for keeping the dumpster, enclosure, and surrounding ground free of debris so it does not become a blight or eyesore, and subsection (a)(8) exempts temporary construction dumpsters, which must be removed or relocated to an approved screened spot before the final certificate of occupancy issues.