Source: https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Yakima/html/Yakima06/Yakima0627.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 16:49:10+00:00

Document:
6.27.050 Shopping cart identification signs and notice required.
6.27.060 Retrieval and impoundment procedures.
6.27.070 Fees and disposition of carts.
It is the primary purpose of this chapter to provide for the prompt retrieval of lost, stolen or abandoned shopping carts to promote public safety and improve the image and appearance of the city. It is a further purpose of this chapter to prevent the accumulation of illegally removed carts on public or private properties. (Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
Retail establishments provide shopping carts for the convenience of customers shopping on the premises of the businesses. Shopping carts that have been removed from the premises of the business and left abandoned on public or private property throughout the city constitute a public nuisance and a potential hazard to the health and safety of the public. Shopping carts abandoned on public and private property can create conditions of blight in the community, obstruct free access to sidewalks, streets and other rights-of-way, interfere with pedestrian and vehicular traffic on pathways, driveways, public and private streets, and impede emergency services. It is for these reasons that such lost, stolen, or abandoned shopping carts are hereby declared to be a public nuisance which shall be subject to abatement in the manner set forth in this chapter, or in any other manner provided by law. (Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
This chapter shall not apply to shopping carts that are removed for repair or maintenance authorized by the owner or owner’s agent. (Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
“Abandoned shopping cart” means any shopping cart left unattended or discarded upon any public property owned by or under the control of the city, or left on any right-of-way within the city, or private property other than the premises of the retail establishment from which the shopping cart was removed.
“Authorized agent” means the owner, or an employee or authorized agent of the owner, entitled to possession of the shopping cart.
“Authorized customer” means a customer of the retail establishment, having the written permission of the owner or owner’s agent to remove the shopping cart from the business premises.
“Enforcement personnel” means any police officer, code enforcement inspector, or designated staff employed by the city of Yakima.
B. Removed from the premises of a retail establishment by any person other than an authorized agent, an authorized customer, enforcement personnel, or a person with proof of ownership of the shopping cart.
“Owner” means any person or entity, in connection with the functions of a business, who owns, leases, possesses, or makes a shopping cart available to customers or the public.
“Parking area” means a parking lot or other property provided by a retail establishment for the use of customers of said retail establishment for the parking of customer vehicles. The parking area of a retail establishment located in a multistore complex or a shopping center shall include the entire parking area used by the multistore complex or shopping center.
“Premises” means any building, property, or other area upon which any retail establishment business is conducted or operated in the city of Yakima, including the parking area provided for customers in such retail establishment.
“Retail establishment” means any business located in the city of Yakima which offers or provides shopping carts for the use of the customers of such business regardless of whether such business is advertised or operated as a retail or wholesale business, and regardless of whether such business is open to the general public, is a private club or business, or is a membership store.
“Shopping cart” or “cart” means a motorized or non-motorized basket which is mounted on wheels or a similar device generally used in a retail establishment by a customer for the purpose of transporting goods of any kind. (Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
A. Every shopping cart made available for use by customers shall have a sign permanently affixed to it that includes the identification of the retail establishment or owner of the shopping cart in accordance with RCW 9A.56.270 as adopted by YMC 6.68.020.
B. Every retail establishment shall post in a conspicuous location on the retail establishment property a notification to the public that unauthorized removal of shopping carts from the premises of the business and the unauthorized possession of a shopping cart is unlawful. The posted notification shall also contain the procedure to be utilized for authorized removal of the cart from the business premises.
C. Every retail establishment shall keep on file with the city of Yakima department of refuse a current telephone number and physical address at which the retail establishment may be contacted for the purpose of reporting the location of abandoned, lost, or stolen shopping carts. (Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
3. Failure to Retrieve Cart. The shopping cart is not retrieved within ninety-six hours from the date notice is given.
3. Evidence of a Crime. Any lost or stolen shopping cart as defined by YMC 6.27.040 may be impounded as evidence in a criminal investigation under YMC 6.68.020 or any other criminal investigation. (Ord. 2018-030 § 1, 2018: Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
A. Impounded Carts. When a shopping cart is impounded in accordance with this chapter, the city may charge a cart collection fee to the owner of a shopping cart. The fine shall be in the amount of fifty dollars per cart and each cart collected shall constitute a separate violation. Any owner having installed a locking device on its carts which has been disabled by one other than the owner or his agent shall be exempt from the fine.
1. Fine Deferrals. Within any calendar month, enforcement personnel shall defer fines for the first three impounded carts owned by any business that, prior to the impoundment, has waived the impound notice requirement. If four or more shopping carts under common ownership are impounded within a calendar month, no fines shall be deferred by enforcement personnel.
B. Disposition of Carts. The city may sell or otherwise dispose of any cart not reclaimed within fourteen days from the date of notification to the owner or the owner’s agent of the cart’s discovery and location. (Ord. 2018-030 § 2, 2018: Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).
If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of the ordinance codified in this chapter is declared invalid or unconstitutional for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance codified in this chapter. (Ord. 2009-31 § 1 (part), 2009).

References: § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 2
 § 1
 § 1