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Sec. 11-2-1. Definition.

The following conditions may be declared to be nuisances:
(14) Shopping carts. It is unlawful for any person to remove shopping carts from any business and its parking area. It is unlawful for any person to abandon a shopping cart upon any public street, sidewalk, driveway, way or parking lot, other than the lot belonging to the owner of the cart.
The owner of the store in which a shopping cart is used shall post a printed copy of this Code section in three prominent locations in type no smaller than 12 points.

Sec. 11-2-4. Abatement by city.

(a) In any case where the owner, agent or tenant fails to abate the nuisance in the time specified, or where the owner, agent or tenant cannot be served with notice, or where the nature of the nuisance is such, in the opinion of the recorder that it must be immediately abated, the recorder may issue an order to the chief of police directing the nuisance to be abated. The chief of police in such case, shall keep a record of the expenses and cost of abating same, and the costs shall be billed against the owner, agent or tenant for collection as for city revenues.

(b) Other city departments shall assist the chief of police as is necessary in abating nuisances hereunder.
(Ord. No. 2001-07, § 1, 2-27-01; Ord. No. 2005-05, § 1, 7-12-05)

About Shopping Cart Ordinances

Retailers can struggle to stop cart abandonment, often paying up to $15,000 a year on replacement carts and municipal fines and fees due imposed by communities. These cart regulations and laws are put in place to not only control the environmental impact of abandoned carts, but also to keep towns and cities clean.

Most shopping cart ordinances fall into three categories: The first category is regulations requiring retailers to have a plan to contain and collect errant shopping carts. Secondly, those that define the fines and penalties a city may impose on retailers for abandoned or errant shopping carts. Finally, the third category of rules generally requires retailers to have a system to contain shopping carts, preventing abandonment.