By Lacey Lively, Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator
Our growing community of 103,245 people consists of an uncommon blend of college students, families and retirees. With so many different lifestyles, it can be difficult to establish harmonious relationships with your neighbors.
It doesn’t have to be.
By following these four simple suggestions, we can help each other enjoy living in our terrific neighborhoods.
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Say “howdy” and keep the noise down.
Whether you’re a student or a permanent resident, introduce yourself and get to know your neighbors. If you’re planning a party or other potentially noisy activity, consider these questions about those who live nearby:
- Are there young families with babies?
- Elderly people?
- People who have to go to work early?
- Students trying to study?
You should also remember that it’s unlawful to willfully make or allow continuous loud noise, especially from 10 p.m.-7 a.m. That includes barking dogs.
As a general rule, if you can hear the noise from the end of your property line, then it’s too loud and everyone on your lease could receive a citation. If you’re bothered by noise and can’t resolve the issue on your own, complaints can be reported to the College Station Police Department at 979-764-3600.
It’s also a good idea to exchange contact information with your neighbors in case of emergencies or other problems. Let them know if you’re hosting a large event and ask them to contact you if it becomes too noisy.
That typically leads to a much better outcome than your neighbor calling the police.
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Properly dispose of trash.
Our Sanitation Division provides bulk, brush, garbage and recycling collections once a week, and the city also provides free curbside recycling. Items should be placed near the curb by 8 a.m. on your designated collection day.
Bulk collection is meant for items too big to fit in the regular garbage container such as furniture, household appliances, large cardboard boxes, etc. It doesn’t include bags of household garbage. Brush collection includes tree limbs, shrubs, woody vines, and other herbaceous or woody plants.
Brush and bulk items should be divided into separate piles and neatly stacked within three feet of the curb in front of your home.
Don’t place items:
- … in the street or on the sidewalk.
- … closer than four feet from fixed objects such as mailboxes, hydrants, cars, trees, etc.
- … on top of sprinkler heads, water or gas meters, underground cable or electrical boxes.
- … under low tree limbs or overhead wires.
- … in front of sanitation containers. Don’t overload the containers, either.
We don’t collect:
- Dirt, sod, brush, concrete or rock.
- Tires, oil filters and CFC containing appliances such as air conditioners or refrigerators.
- Flammable materials such as oil, gas or paint.
- Contractor-generated debris from construction, remodeling or demolition.
- Household hazardous wastes. These can be disposed of at local HHW Collection Events.
- Bagged items that weigh more than 50 pounds.
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Avoid code violations.
If you’re like most people, city codes never cross your mind — until you receive a citation. You can avoid costly fines by following these tips:
- Don’t park vehicles or motorcycles on the grass and don’t block driveways, mailboxes or roadways. Related Blog: 10 Gameday parking citations you can easily avoid.
- The city doesn’t allow more than four unrelated individuals to occupy a dwelling unit. For example, four friends or siblings living together in a home are complying with the decades-old ordinance, but if an unrelated friend moves in, it’s a violation.
- Weeds and grass shouldn’t be higher than 12 inches.
- Don’t store anything in your yard or patio that’s not intended for outdoor use. Firewood can be stored on the side or in the backyard.
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Stay informed.
Follow the City of College Station on Facebook or Twitter for fire and police alerts, traffic advisories, special events and other important information.
We’d love to hear from you, too!
Getting along with others in your neighborhood really isn’t that challenging. Good neighborhood relations come down to the common courtesy and friendliness that’s always made Aggieland a great place.
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