Yolo County, CA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Service area
- Old Willowbank, unincorporated Davis only
- Max pile dimension
- 5 feet (width, height, length)
- Max branch size
- 8 in. diameter, 5 ft. length
- Earliest set-out
- 7 days before collection
- Latest set-out
- 6:00 a.m. collection day
- Countywide alternative
- 96-gallon Organics cart, § 6-17.303
Summary
Unincorporated Yolo County's curbside loose-pile yard-trimmings collection is not countywide: it is guaranteed only for single-family homes in the Old Willowbank area of unincorporated Davis under Section 6-17.305. Where it applies, piles can't exceed five feet in any dimension and branches must be under eight inches thick and five feet long, per Section 6-17.306.
Single-Family Residential Units within the Old Willowbank area of unincorporated Davis, shall be required to have loose pile Yard Trimmings Collection provided by the County Franchisee. ... Yard Trimming piles are authorized for Collection by County Franchisee subject to the following regulations: (1) Only Yard Trimming waste may be placed in piles, provided that: (a) Tree trunks and branches may not have a diameter greater than eight inches, or length greater than five feet; (b) Grass clippings and dropped fruit from Premises trees shall be placed in Organics Collection Cart unless the Cart is already full or has been reasonably reserved for other Organics; and (c) No Yard Trimmings piles shall exceed five feet in width or five feet in height or five (5) feet in length.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
303(a). 306 caps what can go in a pile: only yard-trimming waste qualifies, tree trunks and branches cannot exceed eight inches in diameter or five feet in length, grass clippings and dropped fruit belong in the Organics cart unless it is already full or reserved, and no pile can exceed five feet in width, height or length. on, the scheduled collection day, and must sit in front of the originating property (or a neighboring one with permission) either on an unpaved shoulder or, where there is a curb and gutter, in the street itself.
That same section bars piles from blocking any part of a designated bicycle lane, gutter drainage, a fire hydrant, mailbox, driveway, sidewalk or accessibility curb cut, and bars parking any vehicle so as to block the County's contract hauler from reaching the piles or the trash, recyclables and organics carts. These rules trace to Ordinance 1529, effective November 19, 2020.
Violations & Fines
Violating the yard-trimmings pile rules is an infraction under Section 6-17.102, the same enforcement provision covering the rest of the Waste, Recyclables, and Organics chapter. The Director of the Community Services Department or a designee enforces it through the administrative citation process in Title 1, Chapter 5, which requires notice of the specific section violated, a cure period, and a right to a hearing before any fine is imposed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yolo County pick up loose yard waste piles at the curb?
How big can a yard-waste pile be in Old Willowbank?
When can I put my yard-waste pile out for pickup?
Can I put yard trimmings in the bike lane or blocking a hydrant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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