The village of Hunter is considering a ban on commercial-grade dumpsters on residential properties after complaints about bears and trash scattered through nearby yards.

The proposal comes as the village prepares to end its municipal garbage pickup program at the end of July, leaving residents to bring their trash to the Hylan Road transfer station or hire private carters.

Officials considered the Village of Hunter Refuse Control Law at a Village Board meeting on Monday, July 13. The proposal would ban dumpsters and similar exterior refuse containers on single-family, double-family, or triple-family residential properties. The law also establishes guidelines for the use of waste containers on commercial properties.

“Such containers can lead to the accumulation of hazardous waste, attract vermin, attract bears, create odors, obstruct snow-plowing and obstruct emergency access,” the proposed law reads. 

Village Mayor Alan Higgins said around 30 residents were using the garbage service in the village, which had 429 residents as of the most recent census data from 2020. Continuing it would have required the purchase of a new garbage truck at a cost of at least $180,000, he said.

“We don’t have the interest in it, as far as village residents go,” Higgins said. 

Under the proposal, household waste at residential properties would need to be stored inside the home or inside a fully enclosed, bear-proof outbuilding before it is either picked up or brought to the transfer station. Exceptions would allow dumpsters during construction or following a fire, flood, or natural disaster. 

Residents who spoke at a public hearing before the meeting largely supported the proposed law. Several tied the problem to short-term rentals. 

Kathleen Golas said a short-term rental next to her home can accommodate more than 30 people, and that the dumpster outside the residence was attracting bears.

“I have two bears that come and rip up that dumpster because the guests never lock it,” Golas said. “They rip it up, they are dragging trash right into my yard, and now in the last week I’ve seen rats in the yard. That’s from that dumpster and it’s because they don’t lock it.”

Dylan Marcus said he can hear bears at short-term rentals near his home and no longer felt comfortable running outside around sunrise and sunset.

“It’s laughable that these property owners are happy to own five properties but they can care less what happens on the street,” he said. “I like to run recreationally. I can’t even run outside anymore because there’s a bear at sundown, there’s a bear when I wake up.”

Residents also questioned how the law would be enforced and whether it would be effective in deterring bears and improving the village’s aesthetics. 

Marcus said the village should be able to revoke the short-term rental licenses of property owners who violate the law. 

“My neighbor proudly posts online all the time that he’s clearing $300,000 a year plus on his property, so $10,000 in fines is probably not going to be much of an influence,” he said. 

Resident Alexa Kwiatkowski said the discontinuation of garbage pickup could leave older residents, people with disabilities, and those without cars with few practical options.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t drive,” she said. “There’s some people who are elderly, some people who are disabled. I think it’s putting an unfair position on the businesses in town, because people will be dumping their garbage at the different businesses around town and paying for a carting company is pretty expensive.”

Higgins initially sought to have the board to adopt the law on Monday. He postponed the vote until the Aug. 17 board meeting so officials could expand the proposed law and develop it further. 

One addition would regulate garbage cans, which he said are sometimes left outside all week.

“I definitely want to address that, where cans can be put out on pickup day for whatever company they have and must be brought in within eight hours of being picked up or something,” he said. 

Higgins said he also wanted the village to produce a law that could serve as a model for neighboring municipalities.

“I’m hoping that this law maybe spreads out to Tannersville and the town of Hunter,” he said. “There has been a little interest there, so we want to get it right.”

This article has been updated to reflect Mayor Alan Higgins’ clarification that a new garbage truck would cost at least $180,000.

Connor Greco is a staff reporter for The Overlook covering Windham, Hunter, and surrounding Greene County communities. Send correspondence to connor@theoverlooknews.com.