A Colorado City Has Banned Sidewalk Sitting
A Colorado city has banned sitting and lying on sidewalks.
It may not be a trend, but it's possible we are headed that direction.
The Durango Herald reports this week the Durango City Council unanimously passed an ordinance which makes it illegal to sit down on, or lie on a downtown sidewalk, curb, and other public areas. The ordinance also applies to alleys, railways, and parking spaces
The ban takes effect this summer and is applicable between the hours of 7am and 2:30am. It would seem that if someone wanted to sleep on the sidewalk they could do so between 2:30 in the morning and 7:00 - if they really wanted to. Violators could face a fine up to $200.
Of course, there are exceptions including medical emergencies and special events.
The idea behind the sidewalk sitting ban seems to be to make the downtown area more appealing to shoppers and visitors, and make it less appealing for transients to simply hang out.
I wrote about this issue last year when Longmont was considering a similar ban, and I wondered if something like this was needed in Grand Junction. Sure, Grand Junction has a large homeless population, but is sidwalk sitting and lying a problem? Are downtown businesses being troubled by people who loiter near the entrance to the stores?
Honestly, I don't know the answer. I don't know if this is a problem in Grand Junction, but I do wonder how others feel about it. Perhaps you have seen issues with this sort of thing, or, perhaps you are like me, and haven't really witnessed anything other than someone standing on the corner holding a sign.
I'm curious about public perception in Grand Junction concerning this issue and I would invite you to answer the question in the poll below, and I will share the results at a later time.