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1. Where do I find the trash/recycling calendar for the upcoming year?

Find the Prority trash/recycling calendar and more information here.

2. How do I get permission to plant a tree between the sidewalk and the street?

Homeowners are generally allowed and encouraged to plant street trees, which are trees planted in the strip between sidewalk and curb. However, such plantings must be in compliance with Town of Zionsville regulations. These are available here.

The Zionsville Parks & Recreation Department offers a list of recommended trees for Zionsville.  You should know what you are planning to plant, have your utilities marked (call 8-1-1 for this free service), choose the locations for your trees and ensure they are not within the right of way (that would require a permit). The Town will need to confirm that your planting location is not too close to utility or drainage lines. Please note that the utility marking service will not detect your sprinkler system. Any sprinkler lines that will be affected by tree planting are the homeowner’s responsibility. After the trees have been planted, they are technically the property of the town, since Zionsville owns the curb strip land. This means that if a tree dies after the warranty has expired, you can request that the town replace it. However, this will undoubtedly be a low priority for the town, and it may take them years to get to it. If you have any questions, please reach out to  Cameron Harris.

3. How do I report a problem with my sidewalk?

Please call the DPW main line at 317-873-4544 and notify the department of the specific address or location. Sidewalks located in the public right-of-way are chosen for repair or replacement based on their priority listing and condition rating and will be repaired on an on-going basis as budgeted by DPW.

4. Who is responsible for clearing sidewalks and trails when there is a lot of snow?

The Town does not clear snow from pathways or sidewalks as this responsibility legally falls to the abutting property owners. By Title V, Chapter 53, §53.16 of the Town code, abutting property owners are required to remove snow, ice and debris from any sidewalk or pathway that passes along their property (front/side/rear) to a minimum width of four feet by noon of the second day after a snowfall. This minimum width was included so those living along wider pathways are not burdened more than those living along a narrower sidewalk. The Town is simply not staffed or equipped to routinely clear snow from all the pathways and sidewalks.

Zionsville Parks & Recreation Department does not clear trails unless there is accumulation of three inches of snow or more. The department does not work overtime, with the exception of  Level 1 priorities:

• Park sidewalks along town roads (Elm Street Green, Lincoln Park, Mulberry Fields)
• Zion Nature Center parking area, drive and sidewalk
• Rail Trail (Laurel Street/Nancy Burton Connection to Heritage Trail Park)
• Mulberry Fields driveway and middle and south parking lots 

The department does not salt trails due to the effects on the environment (salt affects water quality when it washes into lakes and streams and seeps into groundwater) and fiscal impact.