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About UA / Resident Guide

Upper Arlington City Services

Click here for details of the City's Solid Waste Services.

Safely Disposing of Used “Sharps”
In order to protect the safety of our Solid Waste employees, the City asks residents to take appropriate safety steps when disposing of certain materials. For example, contaminated objects that can penetrate the skin are considered "sharp" objects by the Occupational Safety And Health Administration regulations governing blood borne pathogens. These items include lancets, hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpel blades and non-household glass articles that have been broken.

In the case of an individual using sharps for the purpose of his/her in-home care or treatment, Federal and State laws allow the disposal of these items as part of the City’s regular refuse collection program. For the safety of the City’s workers, it is recommended that home-generated sharps be packaged into a rigid container and marked “Sharp Waste” prior to disposal into a solid waste receptacle. Acceptable containers include liquid detergent and bleach bottles, two liter pop bottles and coffee cans. These containers should be securely sealed with heavy tape to ensure that the seal will not be broken when handled. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the City’s Safety Coordinator Tom Haley, at 583-5352.

Regional Composting Facility
Residents may drop off acceptable yard wastes free-of-charge at the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s (SWACO) Bill Holbrook Regional Composting Facility located at 4100 Roberts Road. The facility is closed on City Holidays. Hours vary during seasonal changes, typically with extended summer hours. Please call the Solid Waste Division, at 583-5370 to confirm hours.
Only the following items are accepted:
- Grass
- Sod (just dirt not accepted)
- Brush
- Leaves
- Trees, cut to six-foot lengths, trunks/stumps no greater than 18-inch diameter
- Shrubs (no wire baskets or plastic containers)
- Flowers/vegetables (no plastic containers)

Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Public Services Center, 4100 Roberts Road
Visit www.swaco.org for details of other dates/locations
Each year, the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) offers Household Hazardous Waste collection dates for discarding items that can pose a threat to humans, animals and the environment if they are not disposed of properly.

SMART Community
Upper Arlington has been designated a SMART Community by SWACO, in recognition of the City’s exceptional solid waste and recycling services, and its continuing commitment to exploring new ways to expand the community’s recycling habits. To date, a business paper recycling program has been launched and recycling efforts with the schools have been greatly expanded.

Leaf Collection
Streets & Traffic Division
4100 Roberts Road 583-5380
Each fall, the City provides leaf collection services to residents free-of-charge from the end of October to early December, weather permitting. The timeframe for collection each year does not change since the Streets Division must fit this service in with the other seasonal services it provides the community, such as summer road maintenance and winter snow removal services, which involves equipment preparation and more.

When the program is in effect, residents are asked to follow these guidelines:
- Do not put leaves out for collection until one week prior to the official start date of the program.
- Place loose-raked leaves to the edge of the street.
- Leaf piles should not exceed four feet in width and be no further than two feet behind the curb.
- Do not place any rocks, sticks or other objects in leaf piles.
- Keep leaf piles away from sign posts, light poles, trees and mailboxes.
- Do not allow leaf piles to block storm sewers as this can increase the chance of flooding in the event of a heavy rain.

When the City’s leaf collection is not in effect, residents may place leaves in approved biodegradable bags or refuse cans as part of the City’s yard waste collection or may take advantage of free drop-off at SWACO’s Bill Holbrook Regional Composting Facility at 4100 Roberts Road.

Snow Removal
Streets & Traffic Division
4100 Roberts Road 583-5380
The City of Upper Arlington provides one of the best snow removal services in Central Ohio, with the aim of returning normal driving conditions to all City streets within 24 hours of the end of a snowstorm. Priority is placed in the following order:

Arterial Streets – these are the City’s main thoroughfares. They will continue to receive priority treatment while a storm continues. The following list identifies arterial streets:
5th Avenue Arlington Avenue
Cambridge Boulevard Fishinger Road
Kenny Road Henderson Road
Lane Avenue Lane Road
McCoy Road North Star Road
Northwest Boulevard Reed Road
Redding Road Riverside Drive
Tremont Road Zollinger Road

Collector Streets – these consist of the next level of streets that carry significant levels of traffic to the main streets. Collector streets will be plowed and salted as soon as the arterial streets have been completed. The following list identifies collector streets:
Andover Road Asbury Road
Canterbury Road Chartwell Road
Chevy Chase Avenue Coach Road
Coventry Road Dierker Road
Gateway Drive Greensview Drive
Guilford Road King Avenue
Kioka Avenue Leeds Road
Lytham Road Mountview Road
Northam Road Nottingham Road
Ridgeview Road Stonehaven Drive
Woodbridge Road Waltham Road
Windham Road (Greensview to Kenny)

Residential Streets – all remaining streets within the City. Plowing will take place when snowfall exceeds three inches.

Snow Emergency
The City recognizes the following Franklin County Snow Emergency Classifications. Adoption of a snow emergency in Upper Arlington is at the discretion of the City Manager:
- Level 1 – hazardous conditions, motorists should proceed carefully.
- Level 2 – drive only when necessary.
- Level 3 – roads are closed to non-emergency travel. Police may stop and arrest any motorists traveling unnecessarily.

Storm Damage
Parks & Forestry Division 583-5340
In the event of severe storms resulting in fallen trees and tree limbs, the City will clean up and remove the debris from street trees in the public right-of-way and from City parks. All debris from trees located on private property is the owner’s responsibility.

Emergency Preparedness
Residents are advised to prepare their families and households for emergency situations such as inclement weather or power outages. An emergency kit should include a flashlight, battery operated radio, extra batteries and a plug-in telephone amongst other supplies. For advice on how to prepare an emergency kit or for other tips on emergency preparedness, visit these Web sites: www.ready.gov; www.emafc.com; www.fema.gov; or www.redcross.org.

Communications from the city
In the event of emergency situations, such as a severe winter storm, the City will utilize available communications vehicles to provide useful updates to residents (as appropriate to the situation, and depending upon their availability under the given circumstances). They include:

Automatic Telephone Messaging System
The City may utilize its own Communicator automatic telephone call out system or the Franklin County emergency telephone system to deliver brief recorded messages to households.

Please note: while this approach can quickly and effectively reach many households, it is not guaranteed that all households in an affected area will receive a message. Privacy manager, a busy line, no answering machine, and the use of a cell phone instead of a land line all prevent this system successfully reaching a household. In addition, updated phone lists used to support these systems are only provided once or twice per year and do not reflect changes in address and telephone number until such updates are provided.

City Web Site - www.ua-ohio.net
The City will post frequent updates on the Homepage of the City’s Web site, with links provided to additional information as necessary.

Media Notification
Television and radio media will be notified regularly of the given situation, in the hopes they will include news updates of value to residents. For example, in the event that City offices are closed and non-essential services unavailable as a result of a snow emergency, frequent updates on the status of services will be provided to the media.

Fire Hydrant Flushing
Fire Division
3600 Tremont Road 583-5100
Each spring, the Fire Division undertakes fire hydrant flushing operations to ensure proper operation. Residents are notified in advance via the Upper Arlington News and This Week Upper Arlington newspapers, an automated telephone message system (the Communicator), and signage is placed each day at the major intersections of the area being serviced.

Flushing operations can dislodge rust and scale in water lines, especially in the older sections of the City. Area residents are advised to refrain from running water until the evening and to allow water to run freely through all plumbing fixtures until it clears, especially with washing machines in order to avoid staining clothes. Partially fill washing machines and then spin the water out before adding a normal load of laundry. Also, refrain from using hot water taps during flushing operations to avoid water heaters filling up and storing rusty water.

Residual rust and sediment may break loose and affect residents’ water several hours after flushing operations are complete and residents may encounter rusty water on more than one date due to the interconnection of the City’s underground water mains. Despite its unappealing appearance, rusty water poses no threat to residents’ health.

Upper Arlington Public Services Assistance
After Hours Emergencies 457-5084
Sanitary Sewer Backups/Basement Flooding 583-5385
Street Flooding 583-5385
Roadway Debris/Obstructions 583-5380
Traffic Signals/Light Poles 583-5382
Neighborhood Light Issues 583-5382
Street Signs 583-5380
Stormwater Issue at Your Home 583-5360
Stormwater Billing Questions 583-5280

Gas and Electric Utility Aggregation Programs
City Manager’s Office 583-5040
The City is certified as a natural gas aggregator. As an aggregator (buying agent), the City can negotiate fixed rates, reliability, services and other needs on behalf of the aggregate pool. The best supplier is chosen based on proposed administration and overhead fees, past performance and service. Since the program’s inception in 2005, Interstate Gas Supply (IGS) has been the provider. In 2008, the rate is $1.039 per hundred cubic foot. Residents eligible for the 2008 program include previous year participants, who are currently purchasing gas from Columbia Gas and not currently enrolled in the “Percentage of Income Payment Plan.”

The gas aggregation contract is for the supply portion of gas service only. Columbia Gas is still responsible for distribution services and participants still receive gas bills from Columbia Gas. The bill reflects the City’s aggregation rate with the selected supplier for the supply charge listed.

To inquire about eligibility contact IGS at 800-280-4474. Additional information can be obtained from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio or from the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.

Mosquito Control
FCBH Mosquito Hotline 462-BITE
www.co.franklin.oh.us/board_of_health
The City follows an Integrated Mosquito Management Plan, outlining a multi-faceted approach to minimizing the presence of this summertime pest, implemented in partnership with the Franklin County Board of Health (FCBH).

West Nile Virus and Encephalitis can be spread by mosquitoes, therefore monitoring and reduction efforts are important from a health perspective, however another primary goal of the program is to eliminate the need for truck-based fogging.

The program encompasses the following activities:
- Breeding site identification and elimination using surveillance tools, removing conditions that allow for standing water where possible, and implementing a larviciding program when necessary.
- Surveillance of populations using traps throughout the community and in volunteers’ backyards.
- Education on how to reduce mosquitoes in residents’ yards.

Throughout the summer months, details are kept current on the City’s Web site, including pending fogging dates. In addition, the City utilizes its automated telephone call-out system to notify residents in affected areas in advance of any fogging dates (if phone lines are busy or have privacy manager, these calls may not be successfully placed and are not a guaranteed method of notification).

The City has prepared an informational brochure outlining the program which can be obtained from the Public Services Department by calling 583-5350 or from www.ua-ohio.net, under Resident Services / Health Services.

Upper Arlington's Stormwater System
Engineering Division 583-5360
Stormwater Billing Questions 583-5280

Report Stormwater Pollution
If the incident you are reporting involves an act of dumping, throwing or pouring any item or substance (other than fresh water) into a stream, ditch, creek or City sewer, call the City's Police Dispatcher at 583-5400.

If the incident you are reporting involves sediment (muddy water) from a construction site, call the Engineering Division at 583-5360, or visit www.ua-ohio.net under Resident Services / Utilities to complete an online email form.

About the City’s Stormwater System
Rainwater that falls on natural landscapes is absorbed more readily, and any runoff tends to flow more slowly over land. In contrast, surfaces such as pavement and rooftops produce five times more runoff, which reaches creeks and streams at a higher speed and volume, resulting in the rapid rise of water levels. Over time, the urbanization of Upper Arlington and Central Ohio as a whole has contributed greatly to increased demands on the area’s natural waterways, potentially leading to flooding problems, particularly during times of heavy rainfall.

In an effort to address this, the City’s zoning code sets limitations on how much area of a given property can be developed, and commercial developments must provide stormwater controls that limit runoff to pre-development conditions. The City also inspects and maintains the flow-handling capability of its culverts on a quarterly basis.

The Effects on Water Quality
A side effect of urbanization and increased rainwater runoff is the pollution of our waterways. Increased storm flows carry a mixture of items with them, including sediment from construction sites, road salts, pesticides and nutrients from lawns and gardens, oils and toxic chemicals from motor vehicles, even higher water temperatures from streets and rooftops.

All these items and more can be harmful to the health of aquatic life, can foul drinking water supplies, and make recreational areas unsafe and unpleasant.

Homeowners can help minimize these issues and their cumulative effect on our waterways:
• Consider porous pavement materials for driveways and sidewalks.
• Install native vegetation in your landscaping or increase mulched areas versus high maintenance grass lawns.
• Use fertilizers sparingly or not at all.
• Sweep driveways to clean them instead of hosing them down.
• Check your cars for any fluid leaks.
• Use car wash facilities where the detergent and water runoff goes into the sanitary sewer system.
• Pick up after pets.
• Use, store and dispose of chemicals properly.

Updated 4/08

City Manager's Office
City of Upper Arlington
3600 Tremont Road
Upper Arlington, OH 43221
Phone: 614-583-5040
Fax: 614-457-6620
www.ua-ohio.net