Community Corner
Harvey Recovery: Dickinson Residents Face Fines Over Storm Debris
The City of Dickinson is sending warning notices to residents with debris still in front of their homes, but debris removal isn't cheap.
DICKINSON, TX — Residents who are still working to remove storm debris a a result of Hurricane Harvey could face fines.
Officials in Dickinson have been sending warning notices to residents that includes the threat of a fine if the debris is not removed from curbs in 30 days.
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RELATED: Hurricane Harvey: Dickinson Issues Mandatory Evacuation Orders, Other Communities Follow
Dickinson, which was among the hardest hit coast communities in the Houston area, was subjected to mandatory evacuations when Harvey impacted the the coast seven months ago.
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When residents were able to return, they began gutting their homes and the debris piles grew as a result.
The city sent out trucks and from September to November when the program ended, the city removed more than 170,000 cubic yards of debris from curbsides.
READ ALSO: Dickinson And Friendswood End Harvey Cleanup Efforts
Residents are still cleaning up and rebuilding seven months later, but now they are stuck between trying to find a place that will take the debris, and illegally dumping the debris which could also result in a fine.
A single trip to the local dump can run $80, and renting a Dumpster for cleaning up the debris isn’t cheap either.
According to a KTRK report, that renting a Dumpster could cost $380 for delivery and setup, $32 per ton and $3 a day to use.
City leaders said a judge will decide if there is a fine if those who’ve already been warned don’t comply quickly enough with debris removal.
Image: Dickinson residents discard possessions damaged by flooding brought on by Hurricane Harvey September 1, 2017 in Dickinson, Texas. Dickinson was hit by Hurricane Harvey extremely hard with major flooding in many areas of the city and residents there are beginning the long process of recovering from the storm. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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