City Council Postpones Vote on Loop Loitering Bill

The City Council has delayed a vote on a bill that would crack down on people who loiter in the Loop and obstruct street and sidewalk traffic.

"My motion is to table Bill 9112 for further review," said Councilmember L. Michael Glickert, at Monday's council meeting. Mayor Shelley Welsch indicated staff wanted more time to meet with the city attorney to go over the bill and address some concerns that were raised by citizens.

Bill 9112 states:

It shall be unlawful for any person, singly or in concert with others, to stand, loiter or walk upon any public sidewalk or street so as to obstruct or unreasonably interfere with free use thereof:

1. "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curb line, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for use of pedestrians; and
2. "Street" means the entire width between the lines of every way when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.

Anyone found in violation of Bill 9112 could be fined up to $1,000. Even though the bill was tabled, council still opened the floor for citizen comments on it.

Meagan Colvin, a student at Washington University who lives in U City, spoke in opposition to the bill. She said the bill, if passed, would infringe on peoples' civil liberties.

"Sidewalks are public property and pedestrians should not be criminalized for walking on, standing on or meeting up with friends on sidewalks or streets," said Colvin. She noted that there are already ordinances on the books that address fighting in public, disturbing the peace, panhandling and unlawful assembly. She said the bill is not the solution to dealing with young people who hang out in the Loop.

"The Loop is not only exclusive to the community residents that live here or tourists. People from all over St. Louis County and City can come here and spend time in the Loop. "

Ed Reggi, who lives in St. Louis City worried that the bill would be used in a discriminatory fashion. "There is nothing in the bill that actually describes how it will be enforced." He too echoed earlier sentiments that ordinances already exist to deal with disruptive people.

"Let's not criminalize the people or youth or groups of people. Let's criminalize bad behavior. Let's use the ordinances that you have on the books rights now and let's actually enforce them," said Reggi. "You don't need 9112. You have all the laws."

Reggi added that if the ordinance does pass, than U City must remove the St. Louis Walk of Fame from the Loop. "You're encouraging people to come down to the Loop and stand and interfere and obstruct the sidewalks," he said. "It just seems almost ridiculous to keep that if you're going to pass this."

The only person who spoke in favor of the bill at Monday's meeting was Jessica Bueler, the newly-elected president of the Loop Special Business District and owner of H.S.B. Tobacconist. 

"To local business owners this is not an issue of race or a youth issue but a behavorial issue," said Bueler. People merely standing on the sidewalks are not being targeted as criminals under the bill, Bueler said.

"There is a distinct difference between a leisurely stroll in the Loop...as opposed to obstructing and interfering with the rights of ways of our customers, our neighbors and residents of this community," said Bueler.

Following citizen comment on the topic, Councilmember Byron Price admitted he had reservations about the bill as well.  He is concerned that the measure could be discriminatory. Price said he wanted city staff to look at the current laws on the books and see what makes Bill 9112 so different. 

City Manager Lehman Walker said he would speak with the police chief and get back to the council.

The city council will take up Bill 9112 at its next meeting on May 23rd.