Kane County Reporter

The City of St. Charles will begin its annual Leaf Collection Program on October 27, 2025, starting with residents located east of the Fox River. The city has contracted Kramer Tree Specialists to carry out three collection cycles across St. Charles, with the work expected to conclude by December 5.

Residents can monitor the progress of leaf collection crews through a map available on the City’s website. In addition to curbside pickup, Lakeshore Recycling Systems will offer free bagged leaf collection from December 1 through December 30, coinciding with regular refuse collection days.

Guidelines for the program require that leaves be placed on the parkway by 6:30 a.m. on the first scheduled day for each area. It may take up to four days for all leaves in a given area to be collected, depending on weather and volume. Leaves obstructed by parked vehicles or other obstacles will not be picked up until those obstructions are removed and collection resumes during the next cycle.

Weather conditions or an unusually large number of leaves could affect collection schedules. A smaller truck will service cul-de-sacs.

Residents are instructed to rake leaves into rows parallel to the street, at least one foot back from the curb and clear of sidewalks. Raking leaves into the street is prohibited because it can clog storm sewers and cause flooding; violators may face fines up to $500 per offense. Foreign materials should not be mixed with leaf piles as they may damage equipment or injure workers. There should also be about ten feet between leaf piles and permanent structures like fire hydrants and trees.

Leaf piles may cause grass discoloration but are not expected to kill grass.

The program is funded through fees collected from eligible homeowners via utility bills. Residents unsure about their eligibility are advised to check their utility bill or contact Utility Billing at 630.377.4426.

Certain subdivisions and areas are excluded from this year’s program, including Cumberland Green; Whittington Course; Royal Fox private streets; Dunham Place Commons; Delnor Townhomes; Delnor Glen Drive; Townes of Fox Chase; Walnut Hill Townhomes; Viewpointe; Willowgate; Wildrose Springs Townhomes; Auburn Court; Benham Court; Oak Crest; and Brownstones.

For more information about the Leaf Collection Program, residents can visit stcharlesil.gov or contact the City’s Public Works Department at 630.377.4405 or pw@stcharlesil.gov, or Kramer Tree Specialists at 630.293.5444.