New Petition Calls on City Departments to Issue Citations to Combat Worsening Litter Problem
There’s a brand new petition out calling for the enforcement of the littering ordinances in Ocean Beach.
It states that “despite the 1000’s of volunteer hours” spent cleaning OB, litter “is threatening he health and safety of our local environment” and “the problem is getting exponentially worse”.
And it’s due to “the lack of enforcement of our littering ordinances”.
The Petition was initiated by CSI-OB (Cleaner Streets Initiative-Ocean Beach) and it’s directed to the San Diego Lifeguards, the City of San Diego, the Police Department and to Councilwoman Lorie Zapf.
The Petition further states police, lifeguards, park and rec rangers “all have the authority to cite offenders for littering” and this is essential. Yet the public employees”seem reluctant to enforce existing laws.”
It calls upon city departments “to use their authority to issue citations for littering and send the message that our coastal community will not continue to be flagrantly disrespected.”
Here’s the Petition.
And here’s the full text of its statement:
Ocean Beach is a special place to the locals who live here and the thousands of visitors who flock to our neighborhood every year.
The lack of enforcement of our littering ordinances is threatening the health and safety of our local environment. Despite the thousands of volunteer hours that go into cleaning the community, the problem is getting exponentially worse.
SDPD, the Lifeguards, and Parks and Recreation Rangers all have the authority to cite offenders for littering and are essential to combating this issue. Unfortunately, they seem reluctant to enforce existing laws.
It’s time for these city departments to use their authority to issue citations for littering and send the message that our coastal community will not continue to be flagrantly disrespected.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I spend hours each day on the beach in OB…I pick up very small amounts of Litter. OB was much worse about 10-15 years ago (pre-drinking ban).
That being said, any litter is bad litter, but does not rise to the level of a petition directing city officials to issue fines. We have enough serious issues in this city.
Maybe if those concerned citizens, spent an hour or two a week picking up litter – we would be in a better spot.
Oh, and if you see someone littering – Call them Out!! none of this passive aggressive stuff
Ob Kid,
While I respect your opinion, you may not be aware of the scope of the problem. The reason you see so little trash during your hours on the beach everyday is because there are hundreds of volunteers picking up thousands of pounds of trash. There are 2 cleanups scheduled for this weekend at dog beach and the pier. There is another one tomorrow. There was one last weekend and there is another cleanup scheduled for next weekend. CSI-OB volunteers removed 2000 pounds of debris from OB streets, alleys, parks, and beaches last year. I counted 50 cleanup events in OB last year. The volunteer efforts are increasing,but the problem is getting worse. I think we are perfectly justified in asking for a little help enforcing laws that discourage littering.
Exactly – plenty of people who care about a clean OB…do we really want law enforcement writing tickets?
I do.
And I want a bounty on the next asshole that dumps a recliner on the tidepools.
It’s hard to catch litterbugs but we don’t even try. People also need to be held accountable for dumping in their alleys. That’s an easy law to enforce if they chose to.
Again, very little trash even for the cleanups these days. The alleys are the biggest culprits. I don’t see the problem getting worse.
Some days I see lots of trash in the public areas I frequent, some days very little.
Sadly, I have to assume it’s only because someone got there just before me to clean it up. We have lots of quiet volunteers in the neighborhood that are taken for granted.
I think the easiest way to enforce littering in OB would be to fine residents who Keep full trash/recycling bins out on the roads all week, and the building owners who let dumpsters overflow/continuously stay unlocked. Those are the major culprits. The homeless litter a lot too but it’s only a faction of them and it’s mostky in the late hours of night. Beyond that it’s tourists when they are leaving OB.. a faction of them seem to like emptying their trash out the window on the curb. Those last two are hard to enforce. Although I’ll say something if I see the latter.
Tyler I agree. Only a few people keep their overflowing trash bins out on the street, but this is a bad thing to do. Takes up parking, looks ugly, and the wind blows them over and spreads trash around. One three-hour shift on Tuesday or Wednesday could stop this problem quickly since it is illegal.
Citing homeless, drunks and drug addicts, smokers and litterers to move them out of ob will help with trash. Not giving them money will help lessen their eyesore prescence. Dont feed the bums!
Its not as simple as writing tickets, I wish it was.