(a) 
Abandoned shopping carts constitute a nuisance, create potential hazards to the health and safety of the public, and interfere with pedestrian and vehicular traffic within the city of South San Francisco. The accumulation of wrecked, dismantled and abandoned shopping carts on public or private property also tends to create conditions that reduce property values, promoting blight and deterioration in the city.
(b) 
The intent of this chapter is to ensure that measures are taken by store owners to prevent the removal of shopping carts from store premises and parking lots and to facilitate the retrieval of abandoned carts as permitted by state law.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
“Abandoned cart”
means any cart that has been removed without written permission of the owner or on-duty manager from the premises of the business establishment, regardless of whether it has been left on either private or public property. Written permission shall be valid for a period not to exceed seventy-two hours. This provision shall not apply to carts that are removed for purposes of repair or maintenance.
“Agent”
means the person or persons designated by the owner of the cart authorized to perform or provide retrieval services on behalf of the owner. The agent may be the owner if so designated.
“Cart”
means a basket which is mounted on wheels or a similar device provided by a business establishment for use by a customer for the purpose of transporting goods of any kind, including, but not limited to, grocery store shopping carts.
“Director”
means the director of public works or the code enforcement division for the city of South San Francisco, or such other director or officer designated by the city manager to administer this chapter.
“Owner”
means any person or entity, who in connection with the conduct of a business, owns, possesses, or makes any cart available to customers or the public. For purposes of this chapter, owner shall also include the owner’s on-site or designated agent that provides the carts for use by its customers.
“Premises”
means the entire area owned and utilized by the business establishment that provides carts for use by customers, including any parking lot or other property provided by the owner for customer parking.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
This chapter shall apply to all owners of a business establishment or other commercial services within the city of South San Francisco that provide twelve or more carts for customer use or the public.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
It is unlawful for any person to cause or permit any cart to be abandoned on or upon any sidewalk, street or other public area, other than the premises of the owner of such cart.
(a) 
It is unlawful to either temporarily or permanently remove a cart from the premises or parking area of a business establishment without the express prior written approval of the owner or on-duty manager of the business establishment. Written permission shall be valid for a period not to exceed seventy-two hours.
(b) 
This section shall not apply to carts that are removed for the purposes of repair or maintenance.
(c) 
A violation of this section shall be an infraction and punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars for a first violation; a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars for a second violation of the same act within a year; and five hundred dollars for each additional violation within one year.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Every cart owned or provided by any owner must have a sign permanently affixed to the cart that contains all of the following information:
(a) 
Identity of owner, business establishment, or both.
(b) 
Notification to the public that the removal of the cart from the premises is a violation of state law.
(c) 
The address or phone number of the owner of the business establishment for cart return.
Any cart found abandoned on public property that does not have the identification and information required by this section may be removed from such public property and disposed of by the city in accordance with California Business and Professions Code Section 22435.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Any owner that agrees to enter into a contract with a city-designated retrieval service to provide for retrieval of abandoned carts, or individually, or as part of a consortium of businesses, enters into a retrieval contract with a retrieval service that is satisfactory to the city, shall be exempt from Sections 8.63.070(c) through 8.63.090 of this chapter. This exemption is valid only if the other provisions of this chapter are complied with by owner.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Every owner shall develop and implement a specific plan to prevent customers from removing carts from the business premises. The plan must include the following elements:
(a) 
Required Signs on Carts. Every cart owned or provided by any business establishment in the city of South San Francisco must have a sign permanently affixed to it that conforms to Section 8.63.050 of this chapter.
(b) 
Required Signs on Property. Signs shall be placed in pertinent places near door that warn customers that cart removal is prohibited and constitute a violation of state and local law.
(c) 
Physical Measures. Specific physical measures shall be implemented to prevent cart removal from the business premises. These measures may include, but are not limited to, disabling devices on all carts, posting of a security guard to deter and stop customers who attempt to remove carts from the business premises, security deposits required for use of all carts, or the rental or sale of utility carts that can be temporarily or permanently used for transport of purchases.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
The proposed plan for preventing cart removal shall be submitted for approval to the city within sixty days after adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter and each time the plan is proposed to be amended. If a new plan is submitted, the proposed measures shall be implemented by no later than thirty days after city approval is given. The prevention measures shall be continued until and unless the city indicates that a measure(s) needs to be modified. Unless otherwise agreed, any modifications to the plan imposed by the city shall be implemented within thirty days after the city notifies the owner of the needed modifications.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Any owner that fails to submit a plan, implement the proposed plan measures, or implement any required modifications to the plan by the city within the time frames specified in this chapter shall be subject to a one thousand dollar civil penalty, plus an additional penalty of fifty dollars for each day of noncompliance.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Pursuant to California State Business and Professions Code Section 22435.7, the city shall notify the owner of any abandoned carts owned or used by the business establishment that have been located within the city of South San Francisco within twenty-four hours of impoundment. The owner shall have three business days from the date the notification is given to retrieve carts from the city.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 22435.7, any owner that fails to retrieve its abandoned cart(s) within three business days after receiving notice from the city, shall pay the city’s administrative costs for retrieving the cart(s) and providing the notification to the owner. Any owner who fails to retrieve abandoned carts in accordance with this chapter in excess of three times during a specified six-month period shall be subject to a fifty dollar fine for each occurrence. An occurrence includes all carts owned by the owner that are impounded by the city in a one-day period.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)
Every owner shall comply with the provisions of this chapter. Any owner who violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to enforcement procedures for each violation through any lawful means available to the city.
(Ord. 1475 § 1, 2013)