Simi Valley wants retailers to corral their carts
Abandoned shopping carts becoming a nuisance
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

The City Council is asking Simi Valley retailers who use shopping carts to implement measures that will prevent people from taking the carts and abandoning them in the public right of way.

Nancy Cole, code enforcement supervisor with the city, told the council Monday that the majority of retailers and grocery store chains in Simi Valley contract with a cart retrieval service that routinely picks up stolen carts and returns them to the business. But abandoned carts with no store identification are problematic, she said.

According to a city staff report, the Simi Valley Municipal Code does not specifically address abandoned shopping carts. California law calls for an extended notification process and specific impounding procedures.

"Due to state law requirements and the fact that most Simi Valley retailers have cart identification and employ a cart retrieval service that picks up abandoned carts every two days, city ordinances are limited in their ability to further expedite the removal of abandoned carts," the report states.

The city of Simi Valley receives about 30 complaints a year from residents regarding the issue. Those carts that are abandoned in the public right of way that pose a public safety concern are removed immediately by the department of public works.

The City Council decided to continue their current practices and send letters to those retailers who do not employ retrieval services, asking them to take preventive measures in the removal of their carts.

Staff will make a status report to the City Council in one year.