Storm Debris Pickup in Lexington: What to Do
The limbs in your yard go out with the normal weekly yard waste collection, cut to 4 feet and stacked between the sidewalk and the curb. After a big storm the city usually loosens one of those rules for a week or two, announces it once, and takes the announcement down afterward. This page holds both halves.
Quick answer
Cut it to 4 feet. Sections of 4 feet or less is the number the city repeats after every storm.
Bundle it with twine, under 50 pounds. Bundles go under 4 feet long and under 50 pounds each, light enough for one person to lift.
Set it between the sidewalk and the curb. Never in the street and never on the sidewalk. It goes out on your regular collection day, with the normal weekly yard waste pickup.
After a big storm, check for temporary relief. The city usually announces something, often collecting unbundled debris for about a week. The terms change every time, so read the current announcement on the city's news page. We update this page too.
Tree blocking a road? 911. Tree or limb on a power line? Call your utility and stay away from it. A tree down in a yard with nobody in danger is LexCall 311, (859) 425-2255.
Right after the storm: what is a phone call, not a cleanup
Before any of the debris rules matter, sort the genuinely dangerous from the merely annoying. The city publishes this routing on its storm updates page and it does not change from storm to storm.
A tree or limb blocking a road: call 911.
To report a downed tree that is wholly or partially blocking a road, call 911.
Partially blocking counts. This is the one case where the city asks for 911 rather than 311, because the hazard is to traffic and it is time-sensitive.
Anything touching a power line: call your utility, not the city.
Treat every downed line as live. Do not touch the limb, do not touch anything touching it, and do not try to drag it clear of a driveway. Our power outage guide has the reporting numbers and the safety rules.
A tree down in a yard with nobody in danger: LexCall 311.
The city lists downed trees in yards that do not pose a safety risk as a non-emergency, alongside storm drain and creek blockages. Call (859) 425-2255 or 311.
Then, and only then, start cutting.
Everything below assumes the site is safe and the debris is yours to move.
Getting it collected at the curb
These are the standing rules, the ones that apply when the city has not announced anything special. Storm debris is yard waste here: there is no separate storm service in normal conditions.
For residents with City curbside waste collection, tree and yard waste debris can be left at the curb to be picked up on your regular collection day.
Cut everything to 4 feet or less.
Storm debris should be cut into sections of 4 feet or less.
The city said the same thing after the 2024 windstorm:
Material will be picked-up as part of the normal weekly service as long as it is cut in 4-foot sections.
Bundle sticks and branches with twine.
Bundles go on the curb, under 4 feet long and under 50 pounds each. A loose heap of brush meets no rule and is the usual reason a pile is still sitting there a week later.
Use the gray cart for the small stuff, and do not overfill it.
Yard waste can be put in your gray yard waste cart. Do not overload the cart. The lid should be able to close.
Material inside the cart goes loose, not bagged, and sticks in the cart must be under 4 feet long and under 6 inches in diameter. Overflow goes in paper yard waste bags beside the cart. Never plastic bags: those get landfilled instead of composted, which our leaf and yard waste page covers in detail.
Stack it in the right place.
Stack your debris between the sidewalk and the curb, never in the street or on the sidewalk.
If your street has no sidewalk, the city has told residents to place debris at the edge of the yard, close to the curb. Keep it clear of parked cars, fire hydrants, mailboxes and low wires so the truck can actually reach it.
It goes on your regular collection day.
Not a special visit. If you do not know your day, the trash pickup page looks it up by street address.
If your yard waste or any waste collection carts are not picked up by 4 p.m. on your regular collection day, please report the missed pickup to LexCall at 311, (859) 425-2255 or online.
Two things worth knowing after a major storm. Crews run behind, sometimes for days, and the city has asked residents to leave material at the curb rather than pulling it back in. And after the January 2025 winter storm the city went further, suspending enforcement of the rule that carts must come off the curb, because so many streets had been missed.
What the city usually relaxes after a big storm
Here is the honest shape of it: there is no standing storm debris policy in Lexington. After a major storm the city announces temporary relief, once, in a news release. The relief has been real and worth having every time. It has also been different every time, and the announcements do not stay up.
Three storms, three different offers, all from the city's own releases:
September 2024 windstorm: free drop-off.
Starting Monday, residents can dispose of storm debris at the Haley Pike landfill, 4216 Hedger Lane, at no charge. Landfill hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. A driver's license or other proof of residence in Fayette County is required.
The same notice confirmed the standing rule underneath: debris rides normal weekly service as long as it is cut in 4-foot sections, stacked between sidewalk and curb.
January 2025 winter storm: bundling waiver, bigger limits, extra pickups.
Unbundled yard waste was collected curbside until Feb. 28, after which bundling resumed. The city also raised what it could take:
The maximum length of debris the City can pick up is 12 feet. Branches and trunks cannot be more than 16 inches in diameter.
That is triple the normal length limit. And it invited requests:
If you have trees and branches set out on the curb, call LexCall at 311 or enter a service request online. This will help us complete additional pickups as soon as possible.
August 2026 storms: a one-week bundling waiver.
Unbundled yard waste will be collected curbside until Friday, Aug. 21.
After that, sticks and branches must be bundled with twine before being put on the curb. Bundles should be less than 4 feet long and weigh less than 50 pounds.
No raised size limits this time, and no fee waiver announced. Cutting to 4 feet still applied throughout.
Two of those three announcements are already hard or impossible to find on the city's own site. The January 2025 release now returns a 404 at its original address; we read it from an Internet Archive capture. A March 2023 article on getting rid of tree debris, which search engines still surface, is likewise gone.
So the practical advice after a storm is: check the city's news page for the current announcement, and check back here, because we keep this page updated and put any active relief at the top of it. Do not assume the last storm's terms are running. They have not repeated yet.
Hauling it yourself: Haley Pike
Fayette County residents can take up to two pickup-truck loads of yard waste per month to the Haley Pike Waste Management Facility free of charge, storm or no storm. This is open to residents whether or not they have city collection.
- Haley Pike Waste Management Facility, 4216 Hedger Lane.
- Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Closed Wednesdays and weekends, unless a Wednesday is being used as a holiday makeup day.
- Aim to arrive by 4:30 p.m. City sources do not agree on the closing time. The yard waste page says gates close at 5 p.m. and that you must arrive by 5 p.m. to be served; the leaf page and the January 2025 storm release say 5:30 p.m.; the August 2026 storm release says 5 p.m. All are official, so the safe move is the earliest number plus a buffer: get there by 4:30 p.m. and it does not matter which one is current.
- Proof of residency is required. A driver's license or other proof of Fayette County residence. The August 2026 release leaves this out, but the yard waste page, the leaf disposal page and the 2024 storm notice all state it, so bring it.
- Bagging is optional, plastic still is not. Material taken to Haley Pike does not need to be bagged. If you do bag it, use paper: material in plastic bags will not be accepted.
- Tarp open-bed loads. Anything hauled in an open truck bed should be covered.
After some storms the city has waived fees for storm debris beyond that standing monthly allowance, as it did in September 2024. That is announced per event, so confirm before you count on it. The same details, with the leaf-season context, are on our leaf and yard waste pickup page.
Too big to bundle: whole trees and trunks
A trunk is never going to make a 50-pound bundle. Under the standing rules the options are to cut it down to spec yourself or to hire someone to take it away.
One thing worth checking first, though. After the January 2025 winter storm the city temporarily accepted debris up to 12 feet long and 16 inches in diameter, far beyond the usual 4 feet. If a major storm has just passed, look at the current announcement before paying for hauling: the city may already be able to take what you have.
A tree in the strip between the sidewalk and the street is a street tree on public right-of-way, and it has its own rules about who maintains it, who may remove it, and who pays for the stump. Removing one over three inches in diameter needs a permit from the city even when it is storm damaged.
Those answers are on our street tree rules page, which is where that question belongs rather than being half-answered here.
And do not burn it as a shortcut. Lexington regulates open burning, storm cleanup is not an exception, and the rules turn on what you are burning and the time of year. Our fire pit and open burning page covers what is actually allowed.
Every number you might need
- Emergency, or a tree blocking a road: 911.
- Missed pickup, downed tree in a yard, blocked storm drain, service request: LexCall 311 or (859) 425-2255.
- Waste Management directly: wastemanagement@lexingtonky.gov, 675 Byrd Thurman Dr., Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Police, non-emergency: (859) 258-3600. Fire, non-emergency: (859) 231-5600.
- Kentucky Utilities: (502) 627-2000. Blue Grass Energy: (888) 546-4243.
- Kentucky American Water: 1 (800) 678-6301. Columbia Gas: (859) 288-0215.
- Home medical-related assistance: (859) 733-2767.
- General assistance, 24 hours: dial 211, United Way of the Bluegrass.
The city keeps this list, along with what to do at intersections when the lights are out, on its storm updates page. It also runs text and email alerts for waste collection changes caused by weather, which is the fastest way to hear that your collection day moved.
Related Lexington resources
Frequently asked questions
How do I get storm debris picked up in Lexington?
Set it out for your normal weekly yard waste collection. If you have city curbside collection, tree and yard waste debris can be left at the curb to be picked up on your regular collection day, the same day as your green and blue carts. Cut it into sections of 4 feet or less, bundle sticks and branches with twine into bundles under 4 feet and under 50 pounds, and stack it between the sidewalk and the curb. There is no separate storm debris service to sign up for in normal conditions.
Where do I put storm debris at the curb in Lexington?
Between the sidewalk and the curb. The city puts it plainly: never in the street or on the sidewalk. Debris in the street clogs storm drains and blocks traffic, and debris on the sidewalk blocks the people using it. If your street has no sidewalk, the city has told residents to place debris at the edge of the yard, close to the curb.
How small do I have to cut storm debris in Lexington?
Sections of 4 feet or less. That is the figure the city repeats after every storm. Bundles tied with twine must also be under 4 feet long and weigh less than 50 pounds each. Material going inside the gray yard waste cart must be under 4 feet long and under 6 inches in diameter, and the cart lid has to close.
Do I have to bundle storm debris in Lexington?
Normally yes, but this is the rule the city most often suspends after a big storm. Under the standing rules, sticks and branches set beside the cart must be bundled with twine. After the storms in January 2025 and August 2026 the city announced that unbundled yard waste would be collected curbside for roughly a week, then bundling resumed. Those waivers had different end dates and were announced separately, so check the city news page rather than assuming one is running.
Does Lexington have a special storm debris pickup program?
There is no standing program. Storm debris rides the normal weekly yard waste collection. What the city does instead is announce temporary relief after a big storm, and the terms have been different every time: a bundling waiver until a stated date, raised size limits, free drop-off with extended hours, or extra pickups by request. Because relief is announced per event, the only reliable move is to check the city news page after a storm.
What do I do about a tree blocking the road in Lexington?
Call 911. The city is explicit that a downed tree wholly or partially blocking a road is a 911 call. A downed tree in a yard that does not pose a safety risk is a non-emergency, so call LexCall 311 at (859) 425-2255 instead. If a tree or limb is on a power line, call your energy provider and stay away from it. Never try to move a limb that is touching a line.
What if my storm debris was not picked up in Lexington?
Give it until 4 p.m. on your collection day, then report it. The city asks that if your yard waste or any waste collection cart is not picked up by 4 p.m. on your regular collection day, you report the missed pickup to LexCall at 311, (859) 425-2255, or online. After a big storm, crews can run behind for days, and the city has asked residents to leave material at the curb rather than pulling it back in.
Where can I take storm debris in Lexington?
The Haley Pike Waste Management Facility at 4216 Hedger Lane. Fayette County residents can drop off up to two pickup-truck loads of yard waste per month free of charge, with proof of residency. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and closed Wednesdays and weekends except when a Wednesday is used as a holiday makeup day. City sources give different closing times, from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., so aim to arrive by 4:30 p.m. and you are covered either way. Material does not need to be bagged, open-bed loads should be tarped, and if you do bag it, paper bags only.
Is storm debris drop-off free in Lexington?
Two pickup-truck loads of yard waste per month are free for Fayette County residents year round, storm or no storm. After some storms the city has gone further and waived fees for storm debris specifically, as it did after the September 2024 windstorm. That is announced per event and is not a standing offer, so confirm it is running before you load the truck.
What do I do with a whole tree or a trunk too big to bundle?
Under the standing rules, cut it to spec or hire someone. Bundles have to be under 4 feet and 50 pounds, which a trunk will not meet. Worth knowing that after the January 2025 winter storm the city temporarily raised what it could take to 12 feet long and 16 inches in diameter, so after a major storm it is worth checking whether a larger limit is in effect before you pay for hauling. If the tree is a street tree in the right-of-way, separate rules apply to who may remove it.
Who is responsible for a fallen tree between the sidewalk and the street?
That strip is public right-of-way, and the tree in it is a street tree, but Lexington assigns the upkeep to the adjacent property owner and requires a permit before anyone removes a street tree over three inches in diameter. It is its own question with its own answers, so see our street tree rules page rather than treating storm debris guidance as the whole story.
Can I burn storm debris in Lexington?
Not as a way to dispose of it, and not without checking the open burning rules first. Lexington regulates open burning, and the rules turn on what is being burned, the size of the fire, and the time of year. Storm cleanup is not an exception to them. See our fire pit and open burning page before lighting anything, and use the yard waste collection or the Haley Pike drop-off instead.
About this page
Verified on September 4, 2026 against the city's storm debris disposal options release of August 13, 2026, its storm clean-up notice of September 28, 2024, its storm updates page, and the yard waste, leaf disposal and waste collection pages.
The January 13, 2025 storm debris release is quoted from an Internet Archive capture dated July 23, 2025, because the city page itself now returns a 404. We flag that rather than hide it: the disappearance of these announcements is the reason this page exists, and a quote from an archive is weaker evidence than a live page.
One thing this page reports as an absence rather than a rule. Many cities require that debris from work done by a hired contractor be hauled away by that contractor. We could not find any such rule published by Lexington, having checked all three storm releases, the storm updates page, the yard waste, leaf disposal, trash, waste collection, Waste Management, bulky items and winter waste pages, and the urban forestry pages. If your tree service leaves a pile behind, that is a question for your contract with them, and a question worth asking the city directly at (859) 425-2255.
Relief after a storm is announced per event and the terms have differed every time, so nothing on this page should be read as a promise about the next storm. Confirm current terms with LexCall 311 or on the city's news page before relying on them.