Document text
Medford to crack down on stray carts Tuesday Jun 27, 2017 at 5:42 PM Jun 27, 2017 at 5:42 PM By Tran Nguyen Mail Tribune Business owners who fail to retrieve their stray shopping carts could face fines under a proposed ordinance before the Medford City Council. The council will discuss the ordinance, which also would ban shopping carts in public places, during a study session at noon on Thursday at its chambers, 411 W. Eighth St. Councilman Kevin Stine says Medford picks up 20 to 30 abandoned shopping carts a week. “The ordinance would help streamline the process and mitigate the problem,” Stine says. “[The state] already has the law in the book . . . other cities have done it very successfully, so I hope other city councilors would vote yes on it.” Similar ordinances have been adopted by Salem, Grants Pass, Roseburg, Forest Grove and Beaverton, City Attorney Lori Cooper says in a memo to the council. Councilman Dick Gordon says he wants to hold grocery stores responsible for their stray carts.  "This is my personal opinion . . . I have seen a lot of carts on the streets of Medford, and no one is taking responsibility for them," he says. "They just sit there. Having the stores responsible for their carts, it could take care of the problem." The draft code would require owners to retrieve carts within 72 hours of notification or face a fine of $50 for each cart up to $500, as allowed under state statute. After 30 days of notification, the city may take title to the stray shopping carts.  The ordinance also would require stores to have permanent affixed signs for each shopping cart, provide a toll-free phone number and post notice that removing carts off the premises is a crime.  City spokeswoman Kristina Johnsen says staff has researched and evaluated the law in numerous cities in order to draft the ordinance, but Cooper's memo notes the city has not discussed the ordinance with local grocers. "We have had some questions from the City Council about the problems, and we also have heard multiple complaints from residents regarding shopping carts," Johnsen says. Managers at Safeway, Target and Winco in Medford say they've noticed only a few carts missing occasionally. Safeway, Winco, Fred Meyer and Albertsons have partnered with regional company NFM Cart Rescue to pick up their abandoned shopping carts. Those who find an abandoned cart belonging to one of those stores can call 1-888-552-2787 or report it online at northwestcarts.com. The city is also considering prohibiting shopping carts in city parks, on trails and on public property. Staff hadn't found any jurisdictions in Oregon with such bans except Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, Cooper says, but they are common in California and Honolulu. — Reach reporting intern Tran Nguyen at 541-776-4485 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @nguyenntrann.