Fall in Old Town: What to Do With All Those Leaves 🍁

We love our trees in Old Town Lake Oswego but in the fall, there are so many leaves to deal with on our roofs, on the street, on the sidewalks, in our driveways and in our yards. What to do with all the leaves?

“Leave the Leaves” — Or At Least Some

The LO Sustainability Network encourages residents to “leave the leaves” in garden beds and around trees. Leaves provide natural mulch, protect soil, and create habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Some gardening experts take a middle ground: “leave some of the leaves” — then rake them up in the spring once they’ve done their job.

Whichever method you prefer, there are still a few areas where leaves should definitely not stay put.

Where You Should Always Remove Leaves

✅ Driveways and walkways: To prevent slipping hazards.

✅ Curbs and streets: To keep storm drains from clogging and flooding.

Even if you’re leaving leaves in your yard or garden beds, you’ll still end up with plenty to collect and dispose of responsibly.

Yard Waste and Leaf Collection Options

Here's what Republic Services told me:

• Order an Extra yard waste container: $15.50 every other month (You can put your service on a seasonal hold or cancel the service)

• Use brown paper leaf bags: $6.41 per bag for removal (plus the cost of buying the bag/s)

I ordered an extra yard waste cart — it will be delivered in two weeks on trash pick up day after the trash/yard waste is collected. So if you’re considering one, order it now so it arrives in time for peak leaf season!

About Those Noisy Leaf Blowers...

Gas-powered blowers are both loud and pollute the air. The City of Lake Oswego and the LO Sustainability Group both encourage using electric blowers, rakes, or brooms instead. But a lot of commercial landscaping companies and service companies that blow off roofs and clean gutters use the high powered gas blowers.

The City recently asked residents about potential policies to limit gas-powered blowers in its annual survey. I was one of the random people selected to complete the survey and have included photos of those survey questions below (see images).

Want to learn more about creating a quieter neighborhood?

Check out our related post Gas Leaf Blowers to be Phased Out in LO

Here's a helpful list of: Residential landscape maintenance companies that offer alternatives to gas-powered equipment in Lake Oswego

What's the Street Sweeping Schedule?

Exact schedules aren’t published.

Here's the general schedule from the City’s Public Works Department:

• Curbed residential streets: 4–6 times per year, with more frequent sweeping in fall and winter

• Downtown & commercial areas: Every other week

• Arterial and collector roads: At least 12 times per year

Can You Put Leaves in the Street?

No. Lake Oswego City Code prohibits blowing, sweeping, or raking leaves onto the street or sidewalks. Property owners are responsible for keeping the areas next to their property clean. Violations can lead to citations.

Why this matters:

• Flood prevention: Leaves can block storm drains and cause flooding.

• Water quality: Leaves in drains can wash pollutants into Oswego Lake and nearby streams.

• Safety: Wet leaves create slick conditions for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Proper Leaf Disposal Options

The City recommends several alternatives to leaving leaves in the street:

Use your yard waste bin or Compost at home or 🍂 Leave them in place as natural mulch in your garden beds

Or take leaves to one of these local drop-off sites:

• Dan Davis Recycling Center – West Linn | 503-655-1928

• Metro South Transfer Station – Oregon City | 503-234-3000

• Pacific Land Clearing & Recycling – Oregon City | 503-656-7793

• S & H Landscaping Supplies – Tualatin | 503-638-1011

Happy Fall, y’all! 🍂