Short version: The Town of Avon doesn’t collect leaves at the curb, and it doesn’t provide curbside trash or recycling service either. Every leaf on your property stays there unless you mulch it in, haul it to the Avon Transfer Station yourself with a resident permit, or hire someone to remove it. Mid-September is the right time to decide which plan you’ll use, before the first big drop.
Every fall we talk with Avon homeowners, often people who moved from nearby towns, who are surprised to learn there’s no town leaf pickup here. No vacuum trucks, no paper-bag collection, no yard waste carts. It’s worth planning for now, while the trees are still green.
What Avon does and doesn’t provide
- No curbside leaf collection. The town doesn’t pick up leaves, loose or bagged.
- No town trash pickup. The town states it does not provide curbside trash collection or recycling; residents contract with private haulers.
- A Transfer Station for residents. The Avon Transfer Station at 281 Huckleberry Hill Road accepts leaves free of extra charge for residents with a valid permit. It’s open Tuesdays and Fridays 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturdays 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Spring brush days. In recent years the town has offered a few fee-free brush and yard waste Saturdays in April and May. That’s helpful in spring, but it doesn’t help with the November leaf drop.
Your four options
1. Mulch-mow what you can
If your trees are small or few, mowing leaves into the lawn is free and feeds the soil. UConn’s guideline: if more than about 20% of the lawn is still covered after you mow, there are too many leaves to mulch.
2. Compost or use them in beds
A moderate layer of shredded leaves makes good winter mulch in garden beds, kept a few inches off plant crowns. A backyard compost pile can absorb some more. Avoid dumping a big pile at the wood line, which creates tick habitat; see our post on tick-safe leaf cleanup.
3. Haul them to the Transfer Station
You’ll need a resident permit (the town lists a Residential Full permit at $125 for 2026–27), a vehicle that can carry leaves, and time during open hours. Leaves brought in plastic bags must be dumped out by hand. We compare the effort in Transfer Station runs vs. hiring a crew.
4. Hire a leaf removal crew
A crew clears the property and hauls everything away, so you don’t need a permit, bags or trips up Huckleberry Hill Road. For large, wooded or oak-heavy Avon lots, it’s often the only practical way to get the job done before snow.
Things to do this month
- Check your Transfer Station permit. Permits run July through June. If you plan to haul leaves yourself, make sure yours is current.
- Look at your trees. Mostly maples? One big cleanup in early November may do it. Lots of oaks? Plan for two.
- Seed bare spots now. Mid-September is prime time for overseeding in Connecticut. Just know that new grass can’t sit under leaves, so plan to keep the lawn clear this fall.
- Book early if you want help. The first half of November is the busiest stretch of the year.
Want a plan before the leaves fall?
Our Avon leaf-timing guide can help you pick dates, and our Avon leaf disposal guide covers the Transfer Station rules. If you’d rather have someone else handle it, request a free estimate for leaf removal or a fall cleanup.
Sources: Town of Avon, Curbside Trash Collection and Transfer Station pages and Citizens Guide; Avon Patch reporting on spring Fee Free Saturdays (2023–2025); UConn Extension, Leaf Disposal & Mulch Mowing (2022). Town rules and fees can change; confirm with the Town of Avon.