Downtown business owners and commercial tenants will have to secure solid waste disposal contracts before the end of March under a new policy approved Tuesday evening.

In an effort to combat trash piling up on streets in the central business district, all commercial property owners and occupants also must have an adequate space to hold garbage between pickup days. Except on collection days, no containers can be stored in the right-of-way without getting prior permission.

Residential property also owners must provide adequate trash receptacles for their tenants. Violations should be reported to the Macon-Bibb County Solid Waste Department.

Two cubic yards or more of solid waste or debris, which is about the size of a small front-loading commercial dumpster, will constitute a public nuisance and allow the county to intervene and bill the owner for the cleanup. Nonpayment of the bill could result in a lien being placed on the property.

Those found in violation of the policy are subject to a $100 fine per day until the situation is resolved. The owner’s solid waste proposal must be updated annually by the end of March.

In it’s Tuesday meetings, the Macon-Bibb County Commission also allocated more than $58 million for a variety of projects, including a lease-purchase agreement for six fire engines and an aerial platform truck.

Here are the highlights presented in a compilation of tweets sent during the meetings.

– Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-318-8945.

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