SOUTH FULTON, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Clean up or pay up! That’s what the City of South Fulton is telling shopping center owners to crack down on litter.
Edna White visits a shopping center off Roosevelt Highway about once a week, but she said the trash scattered about the property sometimes makes for an unpleasant experience.
“Terrible,” White said. “It’s not comfortable to shop here because of the littering and trash on the streets.”
City leaders now acting to keep trash from piling up, passing a new litter ordinance aimed directly at shopping centers.
“When we go shopping, we want to shop in a clean, pristine environment,” said Councilwoman Helen Willis. “We deserve that quality of life.”
Helen Willis sponsored the legislation. She said plaza owners have been careless about the litter issue for years. She said a recent growing number of complaints from residents prompted her to do something about it. She said sitting in the trash is not only gross, but it can be hazardous to one’s health.
The new litter ordinance requires commercial properties with multiple tenants and or buildings, to pick up all trash on the property, have at least one trash can for every two businesses – and keep them empty. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 daily until they’re in compliance.
“It’s a shame we had to put something in place because we want a clean community,” Willis said. “I wish that our property owners would be more proactive and hire the staff they need to make sure that our community is kept clean and kept litter free.”
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