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Council balks at banning shopping carts Thursday Jun 29, 2017 at 6:08 PM Jun 29, 2017 at 6:08 PM By Tran Nguyen Mail Tribune Though some Medford councilors said abandoned shopping carts are like “tumbleweeds in Liberty Park,” the council agreed to postpone a ban on carts in public parks and trails because of concerns over causing undue hardships on the homeless and police. Mayor Gary Wheeler said during a Thursday study session that the city should be “respectful of others’ property, although it doesn’t look like real property to you." “We need to get [the shopping carts] off the streets and back to the owners or whoever, and start to clean things up and see where we go,” Wheeler said. “We should ease into it, and let nature take its course.” City Manager Brian Sjothun said the city doesn’t “want to fine anybody,” but needs businesses to be responsible for their stray carts. Councilors favored moving forward with the part of the proposed ordinance that would fine businesses that failed to pick up reported carts within 72 hours, but balked at enacting a ban. Deputy City Attorney Kevin McConnell said under the proposed ordinance, those with shopping carts who refuse to leave a public-owned park or trail could have their cart and belongings seized by the city. They also could be cited with theft charges, because “more likely or not the shopping cart is stolen, and it’s not their property.” Police Chief Randy Sparacino said the city doesn’t have an alternative for the homeless who may use shopping carts to store their belongings. “We reached out to some of the nonprofits in the community,” Sparacino said. “ACCESS has been relatively receptive, though they don’t quite know where to put it. We haven’t gotten any response from anyone else.” The city typically picks up 20 to 30 carts a week. Wheeler said the city should start with having businesses retrieve their carts to see if that clears up the problem without enacting a ban. The ordinance would fine businesses who fail to retrieve carts $50 per cart up to $500. It also would require businesses to have permanent affixed signs on the carts, provide a toll-free phone number and post a notice that removing carts off the premises is a crime. Similar ordinances have been enacted in Salem, Grants Pass, Roseburg, Forest Grove and Beaverton with much success, City Attorney Lori Cooper notes. The council will consider the ordinance again later this summer.