Anti-Litter/Animal Waste Ordinance Approved

At its February 25th meeting, the City Council adopted ordinance number 5028 requiring stricter regulation of litter and animal waste. The ordinance specifically includes the following regulations:

 * Prohibiting handbillers from depositing any handbill on a person's property without first obtaining written permission from the property owner or legal occupant. The definition of handbill includes flyers, advertisements, etc., but does not include newspapers.
 * Prohibiting a person from allowing unsecured materials to drop from vehicle loads.
 * Requiring that animal owners/handlers have in their possession the material and/or equipment necessary to pick up after their pets when accompanying their pets on private or public property. Prior policy prohibited owners/handlers from not picking up after their pets but did not require possession of the necessary materials for doing such.

These new regulations not only respond to resident concerns but also help the City to comply with stormwater permit requirements by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency, which now require municipalities to adopt stricter littering and animal waste regulations.