Norwich council adopts ordinance limiting panhandling at locations traffic authority deems unsafe, 4-3

The Norwich City Council on Feb. 3 adopted an ordinance restricting panhandling and solicitation at locations the city's traffic authority deems unsafe, in a 4-3 vote.

The ordinance allows the traffic authority (designated in the ordinance as the chief of police) to identify specific locations where solicitation and related conduct are prohibited because they create hazardous conditions for pedestrians and drivers. The measure prescribes a written warning for a first offense and a $99 fine for subsequent violations; it also envisions a publicly accessible list of restricted locations that the city will post and update.

The measure followed a public hearing in which residents urged the council either to reject the ordinance or to take steps to pair enforcement with services. "The ordinance as written does not achieve its stated purpose. It does not…