MANSFIELD — Mansfield residents will soon have a chance to clear the fallen leaves from their curbs.

The city plans to begin its annual curbside leaf collection program on Monday, Nov. 9, but whether crews can make a second pass will depend on the weather, equipment, and how quickly the leaves fall. That last element is often weather-dependent, via rain and wind.

Steve Brown, principal operations supervisor at the City Service Complex, said crews rarely finish the entire city in a single pass.

“On occasion, we’ve gotten lucky and done it in one (pass), but most times it is two,” Brown said.

Brown said the city must prioritize snow removal when winter arrives, even if crews have not finished collecting leaves.

Winter weather could affect collection schedule

Last year, an early start to winter interrupted leaf collection, Brown said. Crews picked up where they could before shifting to snow removal and returned to leaf collection when conditions allowed.

“If you get a storm, after storm, after storm, of course (snow removal is) what you’re constantly doing,” Brown said. 

Crews will work Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. during their regularly scheduled hours. The city divides its collection route into four areas, with each area taking roughly a week and a half to complete, depending on weather and equipment.

The four areas are further divided into zones the City uses for snow plowing.

The planned route as follows:

Area 1 contains zones 2, 3 and 4.

  • 1 – Crew starting at Madison Road and Park Avenue East working west (Zone 2).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Oak Street and Davidson working west (Zone 3).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Diamond Street and Main Street working east (Zone 3).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Diamond Street and Main Street working south (Zone 4).
  • 1 – Crew starting at South Main Street and Stimens Drive working north (Zone 4).

Zones 5 and 6 belong to Area 2.

  • 1 – Crew will start at Main Street and Lexington Avenue working south. (Zone 5).
  • 1 – Crew will start Hanley Road and Middle Bellville Road working north. (Zone 5).
  • 1 – Crew will start at West Cook Road and South Main Street working south. (Zone 5).
  • 1 – Crew starting West Cook Road and Woodhill Road working south west (Zone 6).
  • 1 – Crew starting in the southwest corner of Royal Oak and work north east (Zone 6).

Area 3 contains zones 7 and 8.

  • 1 – Crew will start at Cline Avenue and Lexington Avenue and working south west (Zone 7).
  • 1 – Crew will start at Woodland Road at West Cook Road and working north east (Zone 7).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Marion Avenue and Sherman Avenue working west (Zone 8).
  • 1 – Crew starting at South Trimble Road and Park Avenue West working east (Zone 8).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Home Road and Park Avenue West working east (Zone 8).

Zones 9, 10 and 1 belong to Area 4.

  • 1 – Crew starting at Grace Street at Ashland Road working northwest (Zone 1).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Trimble Road and Park Avenue West working east (Zone 9).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Home Road and Park Avenue West working east (Zone 9).
  • 1 – Crew starting at North Main Street and Sixth Street working west (Zone 10).
  • 1 – Crew starting at Walker Lake Road and Home Road working south and east
    (Zone 10).

The City will start in Area One and then continue from there. Residents can track weekly progress through local news media and the city’s website, where the city will document completed areas under the 2026 Leaf Program tab.

Brown said this year’s start date falls close to the city’s usual schedule. Originally talking about the first week of November, they pushed the start back a week because many trees still had green leaves.

The city will use five leaf-collection crews to cover Mansfield.

Where residents can take their leaves

Residents who want to dispose of leaves before crews reach their neighborhoods can use the City Service Complex at 480 Park Ave. E. The facility accepts leaf drop-offs seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., but residents must stop in the office before dropping off leaves.

The city also encourages residents to compost their leaves by mowing them or using other methods. Mansfield will not use public parks as leaf drop-off sites this year to accommodate clean-compost standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and workforce restrictions.

Residents who want curbside collection should rake leaves to the curb as they fall, keeping them out of the street. Raking or blowing leaves into the street violates city ordinance #911.06(b), can clog catch basins and may cause flooding.

Crews will not collect limbs, brush, grass clippings, trash, debris or plastic or paper bags through the curbside program.

Residents with questions can contact the City Service Complex at 419-755-9803. The office takes calls Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.