City Of Apple Valley: Curbside Pick-Up And Drop Off For Tree Debris

Press release from the City of Apple Valley:

September 17, 2021

The city will offer curbside pick-up for neighborhoods that were significantly impacted by the storm. A drop off site for residential debris is also available.

Curbside Pick-up

Some areas of Apple Valley received significant amounts of damage from the storm. In these areas, the City will offer curbside pick-up of trees and branches. Here is how to participate in this service:

• Stack tree debris behind the curb; do not place debris in the street
• Make sure all debris is oriented parallel to the curb
• All tree debris must be trimmed down to a maximum length of 8 feet
• Tree stumps will not be accepted
• City staff are unable to assist with any work on private property, with the exception of city-owned boulevard trees/debris that have fallen onto private property.

Curbside collection is in progress and will continue for the next few weeks. If you would like to confirm whether city crews will be picking up curbside tree debris in your neighborhood, please email pubworks@ci.apple-valley.mn.us with your home address.

Residential Drop Off

The City of Apple Valley has set up a free, residential drop-off site for tree debris resulting from the storm. Residents may bring tree debris to the parking lot of Galaxie Park, located at 13900 Galaxie Ave. An area has been designated within the paved parking lot to indicate where residents can drop off debris. The drop off site will be available from 5 a.m.–10 p.m. for the next few weeks.

Please follow the below guidelines when dropping off debris:

• Only storm damaged trees, sticks and branches will be accepted
• All debris must be un-bagged
• All debris must be trimmed down to a maximum length of 8 feet
• Loose leaves and tree stumps will not be accepted

Please contact the Public Works department with any questions: pubworks@ci.apple-valley.mn.us

Outdoor Warning Siren System Activation

Some residents have inquired about why the outdoor warning sirens did not sound before the storm. At the time of the event, the National Weather Service (NWS) had in effect a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for portions of the Twin Cities metro area, including parts of Dakota County. According to the NWS, the forecasted storm hazard was for 60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

Apple Valley and surrounding cities in Dakota County own and maintain an outdoor warning siren system, which is managed by the central public safety dispatch service provider, the Dakota Communications Center (DCC). The outdoor warning sirens are set off by the DCC when 1.) there is a tornado warning 2.) there is a severe storm warning with sustained winds of 70 mph or greater as provided by the NWS or 3.) when requested by first responders. Since the storm of September 17 did not meet any of these criteria, the outdoor warning siren system was not activated by the DCC.

It is important to remember the outdoor warning sirens are intended to alert people outside of their homes and are not designed to be audible in indoor locations. Weather information may always be obtained directly from the National Weather Service by means of a weather alert radio. The National Weather Service television and radio broadcasts will provide information specific to the type of emergency and appropriate safety actions to be taken.

For more information about the warning sirens in Dakota County, please visit Dakota County’s website.

This press release was produced by the City of Apple Valley. The views expressed here are the author’s own.