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Shopping Cart Containment and Retrieval Ordinance September 18, 2006 Page 2 communities such as Glendale, Buena Park, and Long Beach, as well as a review of applicable state law. Further, City staff presented survey data regarding all businesses in Santa Ana that use shopping carts. Derived from interviews of the store representatives, these data included: the number of carts they use; a merchant-provided estimate of how many carts are removed each day; a review of the merchants current containment system; and, a review of the merchants current retrieval system for carts that are taken off-site. After the survey data was compiled and analyzed, a series of informational meetings occurred. The first was with a representative of the California Grocer's Association. Containment and retrieval were the primary discussion issues and the representative was advised that new regulations would shortly be proposed. A second meeting was held with representatives of affected merchants in Santa Ana to discuss the problem. Additionally, a special NICE Committee meeting was held to further consider the input of merchants, the California Grocer's Association and neighborhood representatives, as well as to discuss potential approaches to address the problem. This meeting was attended by a number of merchants and residents. The extent of the abandoned shopping cart problem throughout the City was discussed and several options were presented. The residents claimed the present retrieval system was ineffective and abandoned carts were left in their neighborhoods for days. The merchants expressed concern regarding the cost of complying with the proposed regulations, the impact on their business of an effective containment system and potential legal issues associated with preventing individuals from removing carts from their store property. Notwi thstanding these concerns, the merchants agreed with the nature of the problem and expressed an interest in participating in its solution, including complying with the type of regulations that had been discussed. In response to NICE Committee direction, City staff presented to the City Council at its August 21, 2006, meeting an overview of the problem, public comments that had been considered and the Committee's recommended approach. In brief, this approach was to focus on containment of shopping carts. The ordinance as presently proposed will have five specific elements: · All shopping carts must have the name of the business permanently on the cart. It will be illegal to use an unmarked cart. . All businesses must submit and have approved a plan for containment of the carts on their premises, either fully wi thin the store or restricted to the parking areas. 50A-2