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Council adopts panhandling and shopping-cart ordinances aimed at public safety and abandoned carts
Summary
The Lawton City Council unanimously passed a time, place and manner ordinance regulating panhandling and a separate nuisance ordinance assigning responsibilities and potential fees to retailers for abandoned shopping carts; staff said the measures reflect retailer outreach and safety concerns near schools and busy intersections.
The council adopted two ordinances on Nov. 11 aimed at reducing public-safety risks and nuisance issues.
Item 28 amends the city code to add content-neutral time, place and manner regulations targeting panhandling and solicitation in locations that pose safety concerns, including around schools and at high-speed intersections. Council discussion cited a request from Lawton Public Schools to limit panhandling near schools for safety reasons. A staff presenter said the ordinance addresses situations where individuals approach vehicles at busy intersections or step into roadways to request money, creating hazards. The ordinance was approved 7–0 after the council waived reading of the full text.
Item 31 creates or amends nuisance and health code sections to add shopping-cart provisions that address unlawful possession of carts and require retailers to play a role in recovering abandoned carts. City staff described ongoing retailer outreach: some retailers have invested in cart-management systems (locking mechanisms or cart containment) and the ordinance is intended to formalize responsibilities and allow impoundment fees to be set by the fees committee. City staff said the ordinance aims for a partnership with retailers rather than automatic penalties. Council voted 7–0 to adopt the nuisance/shopping-cart ordinance and referred companion fee details to the fees committee for later action.
Council members described both measures as seeking to balance public safety, retailer cooperation and reasonable enforcement; council set a fees committee meeting to determine any impoundment or administrative fees.
