Let’s talk trash on the Boulevard—new cans on the way
ONE OF THE FRENCH blue trash bins lining the Boulevard.
The French blue theme is continuing down Larchmont Boulevard with six new trash cans coming the first week of October, courtesy of the Larchmont Village Business Improvement District (BID). They will look similar to the ones in place now, but will have a larger opening to accommodate more and bigger items. They match the new benches recently placed on the Boulevard.
One of BID’s responsibilities is to keep the street clean, which includes power washing the sidewalks, removing graffiti, and trash collection. They work in tandem with the Larchmont Boulevard Association (LBA).
The Big Belly garbage cans were replaced because “People didn’t want to use the Big Belly kind,” according to Romi Cortier, LBA. He said, “Now so much more trash is [put in cans and] picked up.”
BID spends $80,000 annually on keeping the Boulevard clean according to Heather Duffy Boylston, executive director of the organization. She continued, “It’s a huge part of our budget.” Trash is picked up every night.
With the new open-top receptacles, there has been some grumbling from neighbors who don’t like the smell or seeing the trash overflowing. BID is hopeful that having more cans on the street will keep the cans from overflowing.
If the first trash can a visitor finds is full, Boylston encourages people to walk a few feet down the block to find another trash can. “We all need to do our part to keep Larchmont beautiful. It’s a village and it takes a village,” said Boylston. She’s hopeful that adding more cans will make this easier.
Over the years, she’s asked businesses along the street to help keep the Boulevard clean by putting their own trash can in front of their store. Boylston claims that Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese, along with Salt & Straw, have always been good neighbors and have accommodated her request.
Q Conditions
NEW CANS overflow with trash in spite of regular cleanup.
Boylston believes that zoning regulations on Larchmont, specifically the Q Conditions, are part of the reason there is so much trash. The Q Conditions, imposed in 1992, limit the number of sit-down restaurants and the type of retail outlets permitted on the Boulevard. Coffee shops and to-go restaurants fill in the space.
The retail landscape was much different in 1992. Boylston has walked the Boulevard with Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez of Council District 13. She has voiced her concerns surrounding these conditions. There’s a possibility to review the Q Conditions when the Wilshire Community Plan is updated, but according to Emma Howard, Community Development and Planning Director for CD13, that’s up in the air.
For now, do your part to keep the street clean.
Category: News
