Two dates set the yard calendar in Steiner Ranch this fall. Texas Disposal Systems will run its only fall green-waste collection from Monday, November 9 through Friday, November 13, 2026. On February 1, the Steiner Ranch Master Association's ban on oak trimming starts again and runs through June 30.
Put the two dates side by side and late fall is the only stretch where HOA rules allow oak trimming and the cuttings can go out at the curb in paper bags. That makes the week of November 9 a working deadline for anyone with overgrown oaks.
February 1 sets the outer limit
The HOA's October 2026 newsletter states the rule in one line:
"Oak Wilt is a big issue: No trimming of oak trees from Feb 1 to June 30 unless it's an emergency and with HOA approval."
The dates line up with the state's oak wilt guidance. TexasOakWilt.org's pruning guidelines say to avoid pruning or wounding oaks from February 1 through June 30, and to schedule routine pruning before February 1 or after June 30.
The reason is a beetle. The oak wilt management page explains that nitidulid sap beetles carry spores from fungal mats on infected red oaks to fresh wounds on healthy trees. Spring is when both the mats and the spore-carrying insects are most common. A cut made in April gives those beetles an opening. The same cut made in November mostly doesn't.
The same source says late fall is the best time to prune. It lists the coldest winter days and long hot stretches in mid-to-late summer as the least hazardous periods, but warns that July and August pruning can stress the tree. Leave out the summer option because of that stress, and the practical pruning season shrinks to roughly November through January.
One step applies all year. TexasOakWilt says to paint every oak wound or pruning cut right away, in any season, and that any kind of paint or wound dressing works.
November 9 is the easy way to get rid of the cuttings
Trimming in December or January is fine for the tree. Hauling is the harder part. The newsletter says the November collection "will be the only green waste pick up this fall season."
What the collection takes, according to the HOA's TDS notice:
- Accepted: bagged leaves, grass clippings, brush, limbs and other common yard waste
- Volume: up to 20 thirty-gallon paper bags per household
- Format: everything has to fit in the bags
- Not accepted: loose branches, recyclables, gardening plastics, and dog waste
- Timing: TDS works through the neighborhood over the full week, and the notice asks residents to put bags out on Monday
The "must fit in bags" rule matters more than the bag count. An oak limb that won't fit in a 30-gallon paper bag doesn't go out that week. It has to be cut down or saved for a bundle pickup.
Outside the green-waste week, bundles and bulky items go on the separate track. Residents can schedule those pickups twice a year by calling TDS at 512-329-1752. Bundles have to be tree, shrub and brush trimmings tied securely, no longer than 4 feet and no heavier than 40 pounds.
That's the math behind the November deadline. Trim before November 9 and the cuttings go out in bags with everyone else's leaves. Trim in January and you're tying 40-pound bundles and using one of only two scheduled pickups for the year, right before the February 1 cutoff.
The year on one page
| Period | Oak trimming | Getting debris to the curb |
|---|---|---|
| Now through November 8 | Open; late fall is the recommended season | Cut and bag ahead of collection week |
| November 9–13, 2026 | Open | Fall green-waste week, up to 20 paper bags |
| Mid-November through January | Open; coldest days are low-risk | Scheduled bundle pickup by calling TDS |
| February 1 through June 30 | Banned by SRMA except emergencies with HOA approval | Scheduled bundle pickup by calling TDS |
| July and August | Low beetle risk, but trimming can stress the tree | Scheduled bundle pickup by calling TDS |
| Any month | Paint every cut immediately | Bundles max 4 feet and 40 pounds |
Clearing a bed is easier than replanting it
A November cleanup often leaves bare ground, and that's where the second set of HOA rules applies. The newsletter's Architectural Control Committee section says every exterior change to the front or back of a home needs an ACC request. The one exception is swapping plants in an existing bed for other approved plantings. Creating a new bed in the front or back yard requires ACC approval. The committee asks for a marked-up survey, photos of the current area, and details on materials and dimensions with the first submission, and it suggests reaching out before starting work.
There's a model for native replanting close by. The same newsletter credits an Eagle Scout team with a planting project at Towne Square. Its goals were to bring back natural habitat, plant native species and use reclaimed water.
Watering is the other limit on fall planting. The HOA newsletter's helpful-links page sends residents to Travis County WCID No. 17 for the latest water restrictions. The district's July 2026 newsletter refers to Stage 1 restrictions. The posted schedule is on WCID 17's water restrictions page, and that page is the one to check before you program an irrigation controller for new plants.
One more exterior item came up this fall. The SRMA ran a resident survey on German schmear and limewash finishes that closed October 23. The newsletter also says painting brick and stone will stay prohibited in Steiner Ranch. The SRMA board's monthly meetings are held at the Towne Square Community Center, with a Zoom option.
The common trails follow the same seasonal rhythm. The Steiner Ranch Trail Committee's October workday focused on the Canyon Glen trail neighborhood, entering at Bear Creek Trail, and the newsletter shows before-and-after photos of work on J-Canyon Trail. Volunteers don't need experience, tools are provided, and future workdays are posted on the committee's Facebook page and the Steiner Ranch GroupMe chat.
The rest of the calendar, around collection week
Yard work fills the first half of November, and the dates below fill the rest:
- Saturday, October 31: Steiner Ranch Steakhouse opens the Steiner Ranch Saloon on Halloween night and is running a Halloween photo-booth contest. The Chandler Trio plays the patio that evening.
- November 9–13: fall green-waste collection, with bags out Monday.
- Thursday, November 19: The Bellamy Brothers play a patio concert at the steakhouse, weather permitting. Guests are asked to arrive between 5:30 and 6 p.m. for dinner, and the concert starts around 8 to 8:30 p.m.
- Sunday, November 22: Thanksgiving brunch at the steakhouse from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., $49.99 for adults and $14.95 for kids. The restaurant is closed Thanksgiving Day.
- Thursday, November 26: The Steiner Ranch Turkey Trot starts at Towne Square, with the Kids K at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K at 8:30 a.m.
The steakhouse's events page lists these dates. Its holiday order form still shows 2025 artwork, so confirm brunch details at 512-381-0800 before you book.
This post covers HOA and utility rules as general information, not legal advice. Check the SRMA's governing documents or contact the management office for your own lot. If you're planning a bigger exterior project, or timing a listing around a yard that photographs well, Eduardo Duran ROA can go over what the work costs and what it does for a Steiner Ranch home's value. Get your free Austin market valuation and strategy call.
