Ban of Plastic Bags at Finish Line
The Town Council could decide tonight if plastic grocery and takeout bags will be banned in Barrington; a public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled.
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The Town Council is expected to decide tonight, Oct. 1, if it will ban plastic grocery and takeout bags in Barrington.
An ordinance that bans the plastic bags was introduced at the council’s September meeting. A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for tonight's meeting at 7 in the Council Chamber in Town Hall.
Supporters and opponents are expected to raise many of the same issues made previously at a public workshop on the proposed ban proposed by Conservation Commission member Joseph Roberts and supported by the commission.
To this point, the ban on plastic bags has gone down a bit of a bumpy road. The vote in favor of introducing the ordinance, in fact, was 4-1 with one councilor, Jeff Brenner, definitely on the fence. Councilor Bill DeWitt was the lone nay vote.
A previous vote on approving the writing of the ordinance in July was 3-2, with Councilor Cynthia Coyne then joining DeWitt in voting nay.
Perhaps complicating the issue even further is that Shaw's Supermarket, believe to be the largest user of plastic bags in Barrington, plans to ban the food carriers on a trial basis by the end of this year. So, you probably shouldn’t place a bit on this vote.
The ordinance includes fines of up to $300 per violation and describes how the ordinance would be enforced – either by the police department or an officer of the town manager. If approved by the Town Council, it would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013.
The draft ordinance bans plastic bags “to improve the environment in Barrington and the health, safety and welfare of its residents by encouraging the use of reusable checkout bags.” It encourages retailers to offer for sale reusable bags. It does not suggest a price per bag.
The police department would enforce ordinance unless the town manager assigns that responsibility to another department.
A potential violation would be investigated and followed up with a written notice to the owner or manager of the retail establishment. The notice would either be served to the owner or manager in person or by posting it in a conspicuous place of the store and sending a copy to the owner or manager.
A retail store’s owner or manager would have to respond in writing within 14 days that the violation has ended. A second violation after the 14-day response period and within one year of the response from the retailer would lead to a $150 fine. A third violation within a year of the second and any subsequent violations would lead to a $300 fine.
The bag-ban ordinance is expected to dominate the Town Council’s agenda. But there are several other items on the agenda with significance.
Another public hearing on an ordinance that amends the use of public waters, particularly the mooring sites in Barrington, is on the agenda.
An update on the proposal to set up a Municipal Court in Barrington is on the agenda. Some of the financial aspects of setting up the court are expected to be presented.
The Town Council also will be asked to sign off on new 3-year union contracts for the police and fire departments that give officers and firefighters a 2 percent raise each year.
The Barrington Business Association is making several requests:
- Host a Harvest Stroll festival on town property on Oct. 13;
- Hang banners on the County Road lampposts seasonally;
- Sponsor a “Jingle Mingle Run”;
- Purchase holiday lights for the Government Center complex.
Townie
6:29 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
One person's opinion; vote down the plastic bag ban, no raises in times of economic uncertainty and sky high taxes, no court creating more costs and positions for friends of the council, and vote out Kate and June ASAP.
Manifold Witness
7:02 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
That bag ban will cause residential property taxes to go even higher because the businesses will appeal and get reduced taxes based upon lost income (income method).
And there are no reval standards as it is.
And under "Newbert", if there are no standards the town can't defend the reval.
Kate & June don't care about any of that.
Gary Morse
7:44 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
The irony here is that the same people rallying behind a symbolic plastic bag ban, have remained completely silent on the environmental disaster that will result from the unneeded build-out from affordable housing development.
Town officials are hiding the fact that they already know that it will take much more build-out in order to meet the councils own self imposed affordable housing ordinance.
The Barrington Comprehensive Community Plan contains rigged numbers to hide the true extent of the environmental impact.
Have our conservation minded proponents said a word about this. NO!
They are content with symbolism over substance.
Townie
8:00 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Raises for everybody! Tax breaks for subsidized housing! It's OK, Barrington citizens have bottomless wallets. Pretty soon our quarterly tax payments will have to be delivered by the bag full. Just not in plastic bags please. What has happened to this town?
GG
9:11 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
My two cents: Do NOT enact this onerous and counter-productive law. It is a feel-good measure that will impose new costs on businesses and residents, and will not accomplish the better health and environment that the backers are seeking. Encouraging recycling and re-use will accomplish far more. I vehemently oppose this law.
Barbara Donovan
9:57 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Interesting that the two most important issues are placed at the end of the agenda - perhaps tempers will be hotter by then and feathers will fly along with plastic bags and sailing ships. Barbara Donovan
Shades of Gray
10:49 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Plastic is not the evil here
As many residents declare
The real, more depressing fate
Is, by far, another mandate.
What is waste are taxes spent
The waste of business put in debt
And costs passed on in other ways
To all who spend their shopping days
In Town….
In Town where lines are clearly drawn
Between the “good intentioned” ones
And those who are vilified
As uncaring, Turn the tide!
Symbolic gestures make the race
To save our open, precious space
A travesty, a cause diminished
But we are in it to the finish!
The time has come
But it’s not done
Still time to change the drastic,
Pointless, ban on plastic.
Kelly
11:16 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
If you can tell me how this ban has even gotten this far when NO ONE I have spoken with supports it. Care about the environment? Starbucks does not recycle ANYTHING! Not a single plastic gallon milk jug or plastic coated cardboard containers of soy and lemonade? Not to mention all the plastic to go cups? Seriously. This was someones personal agenda and we the taxpayers will pay the price. And how about NOT being business friendly? 5 minutes in either direction you can shop free of the Stepford Village that is part of Barrington.
Kelly
11:25 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Read the study before you jump into something which causes more harm than good. http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/03/02/study-plastic-grocery-bags-better-than-canvas/
Gary Morse
2:14 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
I just read the town council's public notice of tonight's agenda. I don't see "plastic bag ban" on the agenda.
Last month, this was specifically posted in the TC agenda as: "Reusable Checkout Bag Initiative (Banning Plastic Bags)".
Have they removed the plastic bag ban from the vote??
Is this proper public notice for a bag ban vote? It doesn't appear to be.