Yakima explores tougher penalties for messy businesses
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- KIMA continues to follow the clean-up effort on North First Street. Yakima is working on a new plan targeting businesses that make a mess.
A proposal going to city council focuses on spots with large piles of trash.
The ordinance up for debate would make it easier to enforce the rules.
Businesses that ignore their messes could be fined up to $100.
KIMA spoke with business owners who say it's a double-edged sword.
"Businesses cannot watch their property all the time. Sometime the property is bigger, mine is kind of medium sized. So, he can't watch every corner," said Bali Hai Motel owner Sonny Shah. "So people say ok, here's my tires here's my oil change can, what am I going to do? Throw it over here."
Yakima encourages you to report any illegal dumping at your business.
The measure goes to city council next week.
A proposal going to city council focuses on spots with large piles of trash.
The ordinance up for debate would make it easier to enforce the rules.
Businesses that ignore their messes could be fined up to $100.
KIMA spoke with business owners who say it's a double-edged sword.
"Businesses cannot watch their property all the time. Sometime the property is bigger, mine is kind of medium sized. So, he can't watch every corner," said Bali Hai Motel owner Sonny Shah. "So people say ok, here's my tires here's my oil change can, what am I going to do? Throw it over here."
Yakima encourages you to report any illegal dumping at your business.
The measure goes to city council next week.
North first street is an embarrassment to Yakima! There is trash around all most every dumpster that you see as you drive down the road. I do not believe that it is due to illegal dumping,it is amazing as much as it is due to lazy workers and owners that don't even try to make a effort to get the trash into the dumpster! Most of motels on North first, cater to a class of people who could care less if their needles go into the dumpsters or just fall around them....Get rid of the nasty, drug infested motels, and get "real" business's along there and the trash problem will take care of itself!! It is amazing the difference between North first and South first as far as how business owners take pride in how their business looks to people driving by.........Take out the trash and problem is solved!