As used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given in this section.
"Abandoned shopping cart"
means any cart that is located outside the premises or parking lot of a retail establishment which provides the cart, except a cart that is in the physical possession of a person who has the written consent of the cart owner.
"Cart owner"
means every person who, in connection with the conduct of a retail establishment owns, right-fully possesses or makes any cart available to patrons and/or the public. This shall include the owner's agent or authorized representative.
"City"
means the City of Woodland or its designated representatives.
"City Manager"
means the City Manager of the City or designee.
"Contractor"
means an authorized independent contractor approved by the City Council for the purpose of effecting the removal of abandoned shopping carts.
"Identified cart"
means a shopping cart that has a permanently affixed sign that identifies it, in accordance with Section 9.12.050 of this chapter.
"Parking area"
means a parking lot or other property provided by a retail establishment for use by a customer for parking an automobile or other vehicle. In a multi-store complex or shopping center, "parking area" includes the entire parking area used by or controlled by the complex or center.
"Person"
means a natural person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business, trust, corporation, limited liability company or other entity.
"Retail establishment"
means any trade establishment selling articles, commodities, services or any line of merchandise where shopping carts are made available for and used by its customers.
"Shopping cart" or "cart"
means a basket that is mounted on wheels or a similar device generally used in retail establishments by a customer for the purpose of transporting goods of any kind. "Shopping cart" also includes a cart used in a coin-operated laundry or dry-cleaning retail establishment for purposes of transporting clothes and necessary cleaning materials.
"Unidentified cart"
means a shopping cart that is not an identified cart.
(Prior code § 14A-5-1)
Any abandoned shopping cart is declared to constitute a public nuisance that could impede emergency services, interfere with pedestrian and vehicular traffic, reduce property values, promote blight and deterioration, comprise an attractive nuisance and create other hazards to the health, safety and general welfare of the community.
(Prior code § 14A-5-2)
A. 
It is unlawful for any person owning a retail establishment located in the City where one or more shopping carts are available for customer use not to install and maintain an effective containment system to contain all shopping carts within the property boundaries of the business or adjacent parking area. The cart owner shall provide signage in a conspicuous location notifying shopping cart users that removal of shopping carts from the premises or parking area is prohibited without the written consent of the cart owner.
B. 
Containment systems shall be designed to effectively manage and contain the retail establishment's shopping carts at all hours of the day, not only during business hours. The retail establishment shall ensure that all shopping carts are accounted for in the containment system at the close of business each day. Containment systems may include, but are not limited to, any one or combination of the following:
1. 
A physical barrier, such as bollards, restricting shopping carts from being removed from the business premises;
2. 
Shopping carts equipped with a protruding arm or similar device prohibiting the cart from being removed from the interior of the business;
3. 
Shopping carts equipped with a wheel-locking mechanism that is used in conjunction with an electronic barrier along the perimeter of the area shopping carts are allowed. The wheel-locking mechanism will activate when the shopping cart crosses the electronic barrier;
4. 
A system, which may be mechanical in nature, requiring a deposit to use a shopping cart. The deposit should be of a reasonable amount that would not deter the use of the cart, but would encourage the return of the cart. This system may include the rental or sale of carts that can be temporarily or permanently used for transport of purchases off site;
5. 
Security guards posted to deter and stop customers who attempt to remove carts from the business premises;
6. 
A policy mandating employees offer to escort customers to their vehicle, assist with unloading, and return the cart to a designated space; or
7. 
A policy designating a specific employee be responsible for management and control of all shopping carts during business hours and capture at the close of business.
C. 
In lieu of installing an effective containment system, a cart owner may obtain a waiver of this section from the City Manager by establishing, to the satisfaction of the City Manager, that the cart owner maintains its own cart retrieval program that has been certified as effective by the City Manager. The City Manager will evaluate such programs according to a standard established by City Council resolution in order to ensure that cart retrieval programs achieve the goals of this chapter.
No enforcement action for violating this section may be taken against a cart owner who has a valid waiver pursuant to this subsection. The City Manager may revoke any waiver if the cart owner no longer qualifies for it.
D. 
For purposes of this section, "effective containment system" means a system that results in no more than five shopping carts being removed without the owner's consent from the business premises or parking area within any 12-month period. There is a rebuttable presumption that a cart found abandoned somewhere off the premises of the cart owner was removed from the premises without the cart owner's consent.
E. 
Each cart owner with 25 or more shopping carts for use shall have a written shopping cart loss prevention plan detailing the containment systems and policies employed by the retail establishment to avoid the loss, stealing, abandonment, vandalism, or other misuse of shopping carts. On or before July 1 of each year, each such cart owner must file with the City an annual evaluation of the cart owner's shopping cart loss prevention plan and a copy of the cart owner's updated plan. Such annual evaluation shall include, at least, an inventory of carts in use, temporarily or permanently lost or stolen carts, repaired carts, and description of amendments to the owner's shopping cart loss prevention plan to decrease adverse cart incidents.
(Prior code § 14A-5-3; Ord. 1748, 2/3/2026)
A. 
The cart owner shall mark all shopping carts used in its business by its customers as required by Business and Professions Code Section 22435.1. The cart owner shall permanently affix a sign to each cart that:
1. 
Identifies the owner of the cart or the retailer, or both;
2. 
Notifies the public of the procedure to be utilized for authorized removal of the cart from the cart owner's premises;
3. 
Notifies the public that the unauthorized removal of the cart from the cart owner's premises or parking area or the unauthorized possession of the cart is a violation of State law; and
4. 
Lists a valid telephone number or address for returning the cart to the cart owner. If the cart owner operates more than one store, the sign shall identify the location of the store where the cart is used.
B. 
Each day during which all of the carts of a cart owner are not marked as required by this section shall constitute a separate violation.
(Prior code § 14A-5-5)
A. 
Identified Carts. The City, or a contractor, may remove and impound any abandoned identified shopping cart from any public or private property.
1. 
The cart shall be marked with a tag indicating the date and location of its discovery and shall be stored for 30 calendar days at a location selected by the City that is reasonably convenient to the cart owner and is open at least six hours of each business day.
2. 
Within 24 hours following the cart impoundment, the owner of an identified cart or his or her representative shall be given actual notice of the location where the cart may be claimed.
B. 
Unidentified Carts. The City, or a contractor, may remove and impound any abandoned unidentified shopping cart from any public or private property.
1. 
The unidentified cart shall be marked with a tag indicating the date and location of its discovery and shall be stored for 30 calendar days at a location selected by the City that is reasonably convenient to the cart's owner and is open at least six hours of each business day.
2. 
If there is any reasonably credible evidence on the cart of the name and address of its owner, within five business days following the cart impoundment, the cart owner shall be given actual notice of the location where the cart may be claimed.
(Prior code § 14A-5-6)
A. 
Administrative Fees. Except as provided in Section 9.12.080 of this chapter, an administrative fee to cover the City's cost for the removal, tagging and storage of abandoned shopping carts and associated administrative activities performed by the City, or a contractor, may be established by resolution of the City Council and imposed upon the owners of abandoned carts. Such fee shall not exceed the City's reasonable estimate of actual cost for such services.
B. 
Fines. In addition to the payment of an administrative fee as set forth in subsection A of this section and except as provided in Section 9.12.080 of this chapter, the owner of an impounded cart shall also be subject to a fine in the maximum amount established by Business and Professions Code Section 22435.7(f), as may be amended from time to time. The fine for identified carts shall be based on each occurrence in excess of three during any six-month period for failure to reclaim identified carts in accordance with Section 9.12.080 of this chapter. An occurrence includes all identified carts impounded by the City, or a contractor, in a one-day period. The fine for unidentified carts shall be the same fine amount as for each occurrence set forth in this subsection for identified carts but imposed on each unidentified cart impounded, beginning with the first unidentified cart impounded.
(Prior code § 14A-5-7)
Claims to recover an impounded shopping cart shall be presented to the City in accordance with the following:
A. 
A cart owner or authorized representative, may, by appointment, inspect impounded carts to determine if any of the owner's carts are present.
B. 
A cart owner may reclaim an impounded cart at any time during normal business hours prior to disposal or destruction by paying all applicable administrative fees and fines, except as provided in subsection C of this section.
C. 
The owner of an identified cart may reclaim it within three business days following the date of actual notice of impoundment at no charge whatsoever, including the waiver of any administrative fees and fines that would otherwise be applicable pursuant to Section 9.12.070 of this chapter. Any identified cart reclaimed by the owner or his or her authorized representative within the three business days shall not be deemed an occurrence for purposes of Section 9.12.070(B) of this chapter. Any impounded identified cart that is not reclaimed by the owner within three business days following the date of actual notice of impoundment shall be subject to any applicable administrative fees and fines imposed pursuant to Section 9.12.070 of this chapter, commencing on the fourth business day following the date of actual notice of impoundment.
D. 
No cart shall be released to a person seeking to reclaim it, unless such person submits to the City reasonably credible evidence of ownership or right to possession of the impounded cart. There shall be a presumption that an identified cart is owned by the business establishment designated on the cart.
E. 
Any release of a cart to a person deemed by the City to be entitled thereto, shall be an absolute defense of the City against any other person claiming to be entitled thereto.
(Prior code § 14A-5-8)
Any identified or unidentified cart may be sold or otherwise disposed of by the City, or a contractor, if not reclaimed within 30 days of receipt by the cart owner of a notice of impoundment, or within 30 days from the date of impoundment if no notice was required by this chapter. In the event an unclaimed cart remains unclaimed and is disposed of or destroyed, the City retains the right to collect any applicable fees and/or fines from the cart owner.
(Prior code § 14A-5-9)
A person who can demonstrate that he or she is the owner of an impounded cart may appeal the imposition of the nuisance abatement administrative fee and/or fine by presenting evidence that the cart removal and storage was not performed substantially in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Appeals shall be made in writing to the City Manager within 10 calendar days of the receipt of a request for an appeal. The cart owner or authorized representative shall appear and be heard on the matter. If the City Manager determines that the shopping cart was not removed and stored in substantial accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the nuisance abatement administrative fee and/or fine shall be refunded. The decision of the City Manager shall be final.
(Prior code § 14A-5-10)
A. 
Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to summary abatement pursuant to Section 9.04.110. Any violation of this chapter shall also be subject to administrative citation and fine pursuant to Chapter 9.20. Each day and each cart on which a violation of any provision of this chapter exists shall be a new and separate violation.
B. 
Notwithstanding any other enforcement action allowed under this code, the City Council may also prescribe the civil fine for any cart owner who is given a civil citation for not having established an effective containment system or shopping cart loss prevention plan pursuant to Section 9.12.030 of this chapter.
(Prior code § 14A-5-11; Ord. 1748, 2/3/2026)