Village of Burr Ridge · Public Works

Storm Brush Pickup:
What to Do with Fallen Branches

Village crews are collecting storm debris from the July 27 storm this week. Here's exactly what to put out, how to stack it, and when it has to be at the street.

Special Collection · Storm of July 27, 2026

Special Village Storm Debris Collection

Move large fallen tree limbs and branches from your yard out to the roadside as soon as you can.

All tree debris must be at the street no later than 7:00 a.m. Friday, July 31.

1 · Drag It Out

Move big branches to the parkway — the grass strip between the curb and the sidewalk.

2 · Stack It Loose

All branches in the same direction, cut ends toward the street. Do not tie anything.

3 · Done by 7:00 A.M. Friday

Earlier is better.

This collection is for the larger branches — the ones too big to bundle. Do not tie storm brush. Anything small enough to tie into a bundle should go out with your weekly landscape waste instead, tied, on your regular Groot day.

Step 1: Whose Tree Was It?

The parkway is the strip of grass between the curb and the sidewalk. It's Village right-of-way — trees planted there are Village trees. Everything behind the sidewalk is private property.

VILLAGE TREE Report damage to Public Works YOUR TREE You arrange removal STREET CURB PARKWAY SIDEWALK PRIVATE LAWN Village right-of-way — Stack brush here Crews do not enter
Side view, street on the left. Brush always goes on the parkway — never in the street, never across the sidewalk, never left in the yard for crews to come get.
A storm-damaged limb down on the parkway of a Burr Ridge street, seen from the sidewalk looking toward the road.
What it looks like on the ground: a storm limb down on the parkway — the Village strip between the sidewalk and the curb.

A Village Parkway Tree Lost a Limb

Let Public Works know and crews will take care of it — including a limb still hanging in the tree. You don't need to cut it up, move it, or hire anyone.

A Tree on Your Property Lost a Limb

Cleanup and disposal are the property owner's responsibility — including a broken limb still hanging in the tree, which should be handled by a licensed tree service before it falls. The Village does not enter private property to collect debris, and does not remove fallen trees, trunks, stumps, or root balls from private yards. Branches you cut and drag to the parkway yourself can go out with this week's collection; a whole downed tree is a job for a licensed tree service.

Step 2: Is It Small Enough to Tie into a Bundle?

One question sorts everything: could you tie it into a bundle?
If yes, it's landscape waste — it goes with Groot, tied, on your regular day.
If no, it's storm brush — it goes to the parkway now, loose. The two piles have opposite rules about tying, and this is the single most common mix-up.

YES — SMALL MATERIAL

Tie It.

Groot weekly landscape waste, on your regular garbage day

Small branches tied into neat bundles with twine, set out at the curb for Groot landscape waste collection.
  • Small branches, twigs, leaves, clippings.
  • Bundles no longer than 4 ft long, no more than 3 ft across.
  • Two ties of biodegradable twine per bundle.
  • Nothing over 50 lbs per bundle.
  • Loose material in paper yard waste bags (33 gal max) or a container marked "Yard Waste Only".
  • Never use plastic bags — they will be left behind.

NO — LARGE MATERIAL

Don't Tie It.

Village storm collection, this week only

Cut ends lined up toward the street
  • Branches too big to bundle.
  • Stacked loose, all in the same direction.
  • No twine, no string, no wire — equipment cannot handle bound piles.
  • No nails, staples, or metal of any kind.
  • Not for brush cut by a commercial contractor.

If it qualifies for Groot, put it out the Groot way — tied, on your regular day.
Only the big, un-bundleable branches belong in the storm pile.

Step 3: Stack It Where Crews Can Reach It

Large storm branches stacked loose and untied on the parkway, all running the same direction with cut ends toward the street.
Storm brush the way crews need it: large branches, untied, all running the same direction, cut ends toward the street.
PRIVATE LAWN SIDEWALK — KEEP CLEAR PARKWAY STREET — KEEP CLEAR 3 FT 3 FT Parallel to the curb · Cut ends to the street DO THIS Clear of the tree, the hydrant and the sidewalk. One tidy stack, branches all the same direction. PRIVATE LAWN SIDEWALK — BLOCKED! PARKWAY STREET — BLOCKED! NOT THIS Blocks sidewalk, street, or fire hydrants. Messy criss-crossed pile, untidy or bound with wire.
Do not block sidewalks or streets, do not stack against hydrants or trees, and do not tie or tangle branches together.
DO THIS
A compliant brush stack on the parkway: untied branches all in one direction, clear of the sidewalk, street, tree and hydrant.
On the parkway, untied, one direction, clear of everything. This pile gets picked up.
NOT THIS
A non-compliant brush pile: criss-crossed branches spilling off the parkway into the sidewalk and street.
Criss-crossed, spilling off the parkway. Crews don't sort piles — this one gets passed over.

What the Village will not collect

A pile with any of the above mixed in may be passed over entirely. Sort before you stack.

If you have more than the Village can take

A large downed tree, a stump, or several truckloads of debris is a job for a licensed tree service or landscape contractor. Get on a company's schedule early — after a regional storm, crews book out fast. Whatever a contractor cuts, the contractor hauls: contractor-generated brush isn't eligible for Village pickup.

Quick Comparison Guide

Refer to this summary table to ensure your waste is set out according to the correct program rules.

Feature Special Storm Brush Collection Weekly Groot Landscape Waste
Eligible Materials Large storm branches too big to tie Twigs, small branches, grass, leaves
Preparation Loose stack, cut ends facing street Tied in bundles with twine or in yard waste bags
Tying Rule DO NOT TIE (Loose only) MUST BE TIED (Biodegradable twine)
Max Size & Weight Reasonable tree branch sizes Max 4 ft length, max 50 lbs weight per bundle
Pickup Schedule No Later than July 31, Fri 7:00 AM Regular weekly Groot collection day

Parkway Readiness Checklist

Contact

Public Works · (630) 654-8181

451 Commerce Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Storm collection questions go to Public Works. For weekly refuse, recycling, and landscape waste, contact Groot at (708) 485-0900 or see the Burr Ridge collection page.