Abandoned shopping cart ordinance passes in King City

KING CITY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- In a city council meeting held Tuesday, the King City council members voted to adopt an ordinance regulating abandoned shopping carts in the city.

"The City has experienced an increasing problem with abandoned shopping carts in the community," wrote Steven Adams in the agenda report on the topic. "They cause blight, create significant pedestrian and vehicle obstacles, and damage the City’s beautification efforts."

Adams goes on to explain the issue causing a "significant amount" of Public Works Department staff time responding to said abandoned carts. According to the report, Public Works Department employees notify the business owners upon finding abandoned carts in addition to then manually returning the carts to the establishment.

The city originally approved introduction of the ordinance on August 13, but adopted the policy in Tuesday's council meeting.

The ordinance states that carts are required to identify the business owner and contact information; signage in businesses that notify the public that shopping cart removal is prohibited; carts will be locked after business hours; abandoned carts will be impounded by the city; and if left unclaimed, abandoned carts can be disposed of after 30 days.

In addition to the above, businesses who do not claim abandoned carts after three business days will be fined the cost of retrieving the cart by city council. Then, according to the ordinance, if three carts are left past the three-day span within a six-month period, the owner will be charged an additional $50 to release the cart.

"The intent of the ordinance is to reduce staff time involved in retrieving shopping carts," wrote the agenda report.