How to Get Rid of Tree Limbs and Brush in San Marcos
Inside San Marcos city limits, small limbs go in your green waste cart or paper yard bags, larger loads can be scheduled through the city's Resource Recovery staff or taken to a city brush drop-off, and burning isn't allowed. Outside town, burning is possible only when there's no burn ban and you follow county rules. Having the brush chipped and hauled as part of the tree job skips all of it.
City schedules and limits change. Confirm current details with City of San Marcos Resource Recovery at 512-393-8407 or on the city website.
Inside San Marcos City Limits
Green waste cart and yard bags
Small limbs, leaves and trimmings go in the green waste cart or paper yard bags set out with your regular collection. In past city guidance, limbs had to be smaller than about 5 inches in diameter to go this route. You can request a cart through Resource Recovery.
Scheduled bulk pickup
For bigger piles, the city has offered scheduled bulk pickup for residents by calling Resource Recovery in advance. Earlier rules asked for brush cut into 4-foot lengths and bundled in manageable weights. Ask about current limits when you call.
City brush drop-off
The city has held a regular brush and bulky item drop-off for residents at 750 River Road, typically on a Saturday morning, accepting yard waste including large branches and stumps. Residents have needed to bring a city utility bill and unload their own material. Check the city calendar for the current schedule.
After big storms
After major storms, the city has sometimes arranged extra free curbside pickup. After the severe storm on May 9, 2024, for example, the city brought in a contractor to collect brush, limbs and vegetative debris from homes within city limits, with instructions to place debris at the curb unbundled and away from hydrants, mailboxes and structures. Those programs are announced as needed.
No burning in town
Open burning of brush, trash or debris isn't allowed inside San Marcos city limits.
Outside City Limits in Hays County
In unincorporated Hays County, including the parts of 78666 outside city limits, outdoor burning of brush is allowed only when no burn ban is in effect. Even then, county rules apply. Among them:
- Burn at least 300 feet from structures on neighboring property, unless you have their consent
- Start no earlier than an hour after sunrise and finish an hour before sunset
- Burn only within the county's wind limits
- Stay with the fire the whole time, with water close by
- Burn only natural plant material, not trash, lumber or construction waste
Burn bans go into effect during dry spells and can last weeks or months. During a ban, brush piles aren't allowed to be burned at all, outside of limited agricultural exceptions. Check the Hays County fire marshal's burn ban page before lighting anything.
The Edges of 78666 in Other Counties
The 78666 ZIP code reaches past Hays County into small parts of Caldwell, Guadalupe and Comal counties. If your property is in one of those, that county sets the burn bans. Check before burning.
Chipping, Mulching and Hauling
For most tree jobs, the simplest answer is to make disposal part of the job:
- Chipping: Brush goes through a chipper on site. Chips can be hauled or left as mulch for beds and paths.
- Mulching in place: On cedar clearing jobs, a mulching machine can grind brush where it stands, leaving it to break down into the soil. Cedar clearing
- Hauling: Logs and brush loaded and taken away.
- Firewood: Sound hardwood like pecan or live oak can be cut and stacked for you. Wood from red oaks that died of oak wilt should be chipped, burned or buried, not kept as firewood.
Ask what's included before the work starts. "Cleanup" can mean anything from raking to hauling every stick.
Doing It Yourself
If you're handling limbs from a small trim:
- Cut to the lengths your pickup option requires.
- Stack with cut ends facing the street.
- Keep piles off sidewalks and out of the street, and away from hydrants, mailboxes and meters.
- Don't mix brush with trash, lumber or rocks.
For anything large, broken high in a tree, or near lines, see storm and fallen tree removal or tree removal.