GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The City of Grand Rapids' commissioners are being called by the Chamber of Commerce to address a familiar problem: a feeling of unsafety in downtown Grand Rapids.
The Chamber is asking the city to consider adopting an ordinance to prevent people from lying or sitting in the public right of way, without targeting people experiencing homelessness.
The Chamber says they won't write the ordinance, but want to guide the city as they consider this option. The Chamber cites other local municipalities with similar ordinances, including Kentwood, Grandville, Walker, and Wyoming.
The Chamber says in their request to the city that they also want local government to crack down on aggressive panhandling, but also without violating panhandlers' First Amendment rights.
Additionally, the Chamber used the City of Colorado Springs' so-called "sit/lie" ordinance as a key piece of information, as well as similar ordinances in Daytona Beach.
The "sit/lie" ordinance has been widely criticized, as reported by the local newspaper, the Gazette, in Colorado.
The proposal, according to the Chamber, would make it a monetary fine, or civil infraction, for people who repeatedly engage in "unsafe" behavior in downtown GR.
To watch the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting, see below:
