Services and Programs

Brush Chipping - Fee-Based (year-round)

The program operates year-round, weather permitting, and provides curbside or alley pick up of brush that is not eligible for collection by the City's user fee, weekly refuse collection. Brush must originate from the adjacent property.

• BRUSH - $45.00 for initial 30 minutes
• Over 30 minutes, you will be billed $1.65 per minute plus 10.5% overhead for each minute over the initial 30 minutes.

Brush Pick-Up Requirements:

Brush must be neatly piled with the butt ends of the branches facing the street. BRUSH ONLY -- brush with trunks over 9" in diameter, grass clippings, leaves, stumps, roots, weeds, vines, flowers, wire, or other foreign materials are not permitted.

Brush may not be placed at the curbside or in the alley earlier than one week before the designated day of collection. The designated day of collection will be stated when residents pay for the service. Residents who place brush at the curbside for an extended amount of time will be subject to fines and/or asked to remove the brush from the curbside and store it properly until the day of pick up.

Placement and pick-up

1. Brush for pick up is to be placed at the curbside or in the alley no earlier than the week before the scheduled pick up and no later than 7 a.m. on the scheduled day of pick up.
2. City ordinance indicates that brush placed at the curbside for this program shall at no time obstruct any city sidewalk, right-of-way, or view of traffic.
3. This program and the timely pick up of brush are subject to inclement weather conditions, the volume of pick-ups scheduled, and other obligations of City crews at the discretion of the Street Superintendent. If brush scheduled for pick up has not been picked up by 4 p.m. of the Thursday following the scheduled pick up, contact the Public Works office at (989) 779-5401.

Application and payment (Fee-based service)

Application and payment of fees must be made in advance and will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. the Thursday before the second and fourth Mondays of the month. There are two ways to pay:

Complete the application and pay online. Click here to learn how.

-or-

Download the brush pick-up application here. Application and payment can be made at:

Treasurer's Office / City Hall
320 W. Broadway
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858

NO REFUNDS

Residents are encouraged to read and follow the guidelines as set forth above. Failure to comply with the guidelines and restrictions of the program will result in forfeiture of the fees paid, and the property owner/resident will be responsible for removing brush from the public right-of-way in a timely manner.

Christmas Tree Collection

*CHRISTMAS TREE COLLECTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR 2023*

Two City Refuse Tags Needed for Curbside Tree Collection

The Street Department collects discarded Christmas trees from residents within the city limits each January. This curbside collection can be utilized by attaching two City refuse tags to the tree, for a cost of $6.30. Individiual tags for this service can be purchased at Meijer, Ric’s, Green Tree Grocery Co-Op and City Hall.

The 2023 Christmas tree collection dates will be January 9-20, 2023. Any trees remaining after January 20, 2023 may be taken to the Materials Recovery Facility, 4208 E. River Road, Mt. Pleasant, or disposed of through the City’s brush chipping program.

Leaf Pick-up

As the temperatures cool, and the trees start to show their vibrant colors, residents and landscaping companies are reminded to not rake leaves into the streets until the week of October 24. City staff will make one sweep through the entire City during pick up weeks. Therefore, leaves should be raked into low piles before Monday of pick up weeks and not cover catch basins.

On High and Pickard Streets, where high traffic volume prohibits leaves in the gutter; residents and landscaping companies should rake the leaves onto the rights-of-way, between the curb and sidewalk. Those who live on streets other than High and Pickard must place their leaves in the street. If you live on a boulevard, do not place leaves in the median, place them in front of your home. Yard waste bags should not be used; this collection is for leaves only. Leaf piles must not contain garden or shrubbery clippings, dead grass, branches, trim board or other material.

Residents who wish to rake their yards ahead of the City’s collection schedule may bag and dispose of the leaves for a fee at the Material Recovery Facility, located at 4208 E. River Rd., Mt. Pleasant. Leaves may also be mulched with a mulching lawnmower.

The City’s 2022 leaf collection schedule is as follows:

Week of October 31: Staff will collect leaves in a City-wide sweep.

Week of November 14: Staff will collect leaves in a City-wide sweep.

November 28: Final collection of leaves in a City-wide sweep. Any leaves left in the street after the crews have made their final pass will not be collected and are the responsibility of the homeowner.

See the full Press Release here.

Questions may be directed to the Division of Public Works, 989-779-5401.

Sewer Backups

All residents and commercial establishment operators should contact a plumber first prior to calling the City of Mt. Pleasant for assistance with sewer back-ups (sink or shower will not drain, toilet will not flush, water back-up from basement floor drain, etc.). The plumber is responsible for determining if the problem is in the property owner’s sanitary sewer service or lead.  If the plumber is unable to remedy the back-up because the plumber believes the cause is in the sewer main, the plumber should contact Public Works at (989) 779-5401, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (after hours calls should be directed to Central Dispatch at (989) 773-1000).  City crews will then be sent to check the sanitary sewer main and verify that the property owner is still experiencing a back-up. .

In January 2002, the State of Michigan passed Public Act 222, a law regarding citizens’ rights to recover damages caused by a sanitary or storm sewer back-up event.  Under the law, if you experience an overflow or back-up of sanitary or storm sewer on your property and damage has occurred, you must file a written claim with the Division of Public Works within 45 days.  While filing a claim does not guarantee that damages will be covered, failure to provide the required written notice will prevent any possible recovery of loss.  If you experience damage to your home or business and/or possessions as a result of a sewer back-up, it is recommended that you consult your homeowner’s insurance policy for coverage of these items.

How to file a claim for damages following a sewer backup

• View Notice of Claim Letter
• View Notice of Claim Form

Sidewalk Replacement

The Street Department replaces broken and/or hazardous sections of existing sidewalk each summer. If you see a sidewalk in need of repair, please call Public Works at (989) 779-5401.

Snow Removal

The Street Department is responsible for snow removal and ice control on city streets. Street crews are available 24 hours a day to respond to inclement winter weather.

The City is divided into four snowplowing routes and five salting routes. Major streets and downtown businesses are plowed first, followed by local (residential) streets, then parking lots, and lastly cul-de-sacs and alleys.

A recent change to the City’s parking ordinance allows for overnight parking, except in the downtown area. Overnight parking on the street in the downtown area is not allowed at any time of year. Salting and plowing may start anytime during the day or night. Cars should be off the streets or parked in driveways overnight when inclement weather is predicted. If a snow emergency is declared, you are required by ordinance to remove your vehicle from the street. Vehicles parked on the street during a snow emergency are subject to ticketing and towing.

Please help us expedite snowplowing by:

• Avoid parking on streets when inclement weather is predicted.
• Clearing sidewalks of snow within 24 hours, including your mailbox approach. (Streets/Parks staff clear sidewalks in some areas of the City. See the map of sidewalk snow plow routes for details.)
• Checking your mailbox posts. If the post is worn, rotted, or too close to the roadway, it may be damaged from the weight of the snow being plowed. Please check with the U.S. Postal Service requirements if you wish to move your mailbox post.

Streetlights

Please report streetlight outages directly to Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 or online at https://www.consumersenergy.com/outages/street-light.   If there is an issue with one of the blue City-owned decorative lights, please contact Public Works at (989) 779-5401 or send an email to publicworks@mt-pleasant.org

Tree Planting

The Street Department plants a variety of trees in the city rights-of-way as part of the City’s Urban Forestry Plan. The goal of this plan is to establish a diverse population of street trees in the City to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the streets. Under the Urban Forestry Plan, property owners may register to have a tree planted in the right of way in front of their property. Each parcel and/or property owner is allowed one free tree per year. The Street crew will determine the best location for the tree in the right-of-way. Once the tree is planted, the property owner is asked to water the tree per the directions provided.  Additional watering is encouraged during extended periods of hot, dry weather during the summer months. To have a tree planted, fill out a  Tree Application and mail back to Public Works at 320 W. Broadway, or by email to publicworks@mt-pleasant.org by March 1 for planting in the spring. Click here to view the Tree Planting Brochure.
If a resident wishes to plant their own tree in the right-of-way, a permit must first be obtained from the Public Works office. There is no charge for the permit, however, there is a limitation to the size and species of tree that can be planted in this area. For more information, please contact Public Works at (989) 779-5401.

Tree Trimming

Each year the Street Department hires a contractor, through a bid process, to trim specified street trees in the rights-of-way throughout the City. If you notice any street trees that are in need of attention, please call Public Works at (989) 779-5401.

Bulk Water

The City of Mt. Pleasant’s bulk water fill station is designed for contractors who need to fill a large tank for projects, such as hydroseeding, well drilling, or landscaping.  The fill station is located at the Street Department, 1303 N. Franklin Avenue.   

• The annual fee is $100.  Payment options:
• Sign up and pay in-person at the Public Works office, City Hall, 320 W. Broadway St., Mt. Pleasant. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Online and pay with a checking account, credit or debit card.  There is a $2 convenience fee charged by the processing company for all debit and credit card payments.
• Payment of the annual fee provides the applicant access to the City’s water fill station from the time payment is confirmed until City staff remove the water meter and winterize the fill station at the end of the season
• Fill station is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week until the meter is removed and the fill station is winterized for the season
• Access to the Street Department building’s water supply is not allowed
• The meter is locked, and contractors will be given the lock code once payment has been received/confirmed.  The lock code is changed annually.
• Contractors must supply their own hose and a 2” female quick disconnect 
• The fill station is fitted with a backflow preventer to prevent cross contamination to the potable water supply
• Click Here to complete the application and pay online 
• Questions? Call Public Works at (989) 779-5401, or send an email to publicworks@mt-pleasant.org

Click here to access a complete list of forms and permits for all Public Works' Services and Programs.