LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) — Las Cruces City Council will vote on two proposed ordinances Monday that could limit solicitation if passed, as well as make possession of a shopping cart a misdemeanor.
Both ordinances are proposed changes to existing city codes.
According to the proposal in Monday’s agenda, the city says they’ve determined that shopping carts taken from retail stores “constitutes a nuisance, creates potential hazards to the health, welfare, and safety of the public, and interferes with pedestrian and vehicular traffic.”
The proposal adds the accumulation of abandoned shopping carts on both private and public property reduces that property’s value, and “promotes blight and deterioration of neighborhoods within the city.”
The ordinance would make possession of a shopping cart outside of the premises of a retail establishment a misdemeanor, and would impose fines between $100 and $500 dollars.
Additionally, business owners would be required to retrieve shopping carts found off of their property.
A second ordinance vote would prohibit aggressive solicitation, such as panhandlers blocking roadways, intimidation towards motorists, and blocking of vehicles.
The ordinance would not ban panhandling or soliciting on sidewalks.
ABC-7 will keep you updated both on-air and online at KVIA.com as soon as council makes their votes.