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Commission asks staff to draft panhandling ordinance options after downtown complaints
Summary
Following business and resident complaints about downtown panhandling and safety, commissioners asked staff to draft possible ordinance language and to consult human-service providers before a formal vote.
Mount Pleasant officials discussed whether and how to regulate panhandling downtown after businesses and residents reported encounters they described as intimidating or that impeded pedestrians. Director of Public Safety Paul Loria told the commission current city code lacks a specific rule covering non-aggressive sign-holding and solicitation on sidewalks; enforcement is limited to aggressive or obstructive behavior.
Commissioners debated the balance between free expression and public safety and asked staff to develop draft ordinance options addressing location and conduct (for example, prohibiting solicitation that impedes sidewalks or traffic) and to consult service providers such as the Restoration House, county health and local nonprofits. Several commissioners stressed enforcement should be coupled with service referrals rather than punitive responses; others said an ordinance is a necessary tool for officers when behavior becomes obstructive.
Direction: staff was asked to draft ordinance concepts, consult stakeholders and return with proposed language and an enforcement approach. Several commissioners suggested revisiting a formal ordinance in 2026 after gathering stakeholder feedback and considering operational impacts.
