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"portable restrooms could be a deterrent" - And of course the city of Scottsdale isn't going to spend the tax dollars they stole from us on portable johns, because that would cut into their revenue.

Source

Scottsdale mayor wants crackdown on public urination

$300-plus fine, cleanup cost may be coming

by Edward Gately - Mar. 6, 2012 02:06 PM

The Republic | azcentral.com

Patrons of downtown Scottsdale's entertainment district could face a $300-plus fine and the cost of cleanup if they are caught relieving themselves outdoors instead of waiting to find a restroom.

The City Council has agreed to consider, at Mayor Jim Lane's request, an amendment to the city ordinance that prohibits public urination and defecation. The change would establish a $150 mandatory minimum fine for the offense. [Yep, it IS about raising revenue] Once state surcharges are added, the fine increases to about $320.

In addition, the court may require that a person convicted of the Class 1 misdemeanor pay restitution for any cleanup costs incurred by the city. [Clean up costs for pissing in an alley???? What are they doing to do? Autoclave the dirt and gravel the person pissed on???]

The council last week voted unanimously to consider the amendment at the next available council meeting.

This is Lane's latest move to crack down on problem behavior in the district, which includes a high concentration of bars and attracts thousands of patrons every weekend. The area is south of Camelback and north of Indian School Road, between Scottsdale and Miller roads.

"We have a propensity to have public urination and defecation in areas of the downtown and in the entertainment district," Lane said.

The current ordinance carries a maximum fine of $2,500. However, those cited have been able to avoid paying it through either a suspended sentence or waiver of charges, Lane said.

"They'll have to pay this fine no matter what," he said. "Right now, there is a citing for these kinds of actions, but it really hasn't amounted to much of a deterrent because generally speaking it just hasn't been any real cost to the offender."

Last year, numerous businesses complained about the abuse of their properties by bar patrons.

D'Lisa Shayn Ledgewood, owner of Salon D'Shayn on Wells Fargo Avenue, favors the crackdown, but says it's going to be tough for the police to catch people in the act because "when the bars are really busy, it's happening all over the area." [I bet the police union will love this law. Next we will have a special squad of piggies to bust people for "pissing in the alley"]

"I'm walking around my building and there's three paper plates ... broken glass, an empty Red Bull can, and there's urination stains," she said. "And there's spit on the window. It's been the same for a long time."

Ledgewood said she would like to see the offenders "embarrassed for their behavior." She also said portable restrooms could be a deterrent, but "that's going to cost somebody."

"Having a bodily fluid cleanup crew would be awesome," she said. "There's nothing worse than public humiliation."

Bill Crawford, president of the Association to Preserve Downtown Scottsdale's Quality of Life, calls Lane's proposal "another positive step in the right direction." The citizens and merchants group formed last summer to pressure the city to address problems in the area.

"It will help, and the association supports it," he said. "The complex aggregate issues of bad behavior from bars and bar patrons is being broken down into individual specific issues that can be addressed and resolved one at a time. The stakeholders have made tremendous progress in less than a year."

If approved by the council, the amended ordinance would be effective in 30 days, Lane said.

In December, the council adopted an ordinance establishing a $75 fine for littering anywhere in Scottsdale, and created a litter-free zone that doubles the fine in the entertainment district. Those caught littering in and around the district will face a $300-plus fine. Since the ordinance went into effect, 21 citations have been issued downtown, said J.P. Twist, Lane's chief of staff. Also, the city has begun assessing $250 fines if businesses hire others to distribute printed materials, including handbills, fliers and door hangers, in the district.