The City of Fort Collins’ Environmental Services Department will host an open house April 3 to gather feedback on a new proposal to limit distribution of “single-use” disposable shopping bags.
The open house is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3 in the Community Room of the City office building at 215 N. Mason.
Community concerns led City Council to ask staff to reexamine options in limiting the bags after a vote to adopt a $0.10 fee on bags was narrowly defeated in 2013. That proposed ordinance would have evenly split revenue between grocers and the City.
City staff is now proposing a Merchant Regulation ordinance that prohibits grocers from giving disposable shopping bags to customers free-of-charge. The proposal requires grocers to apply a minimum fee of $0.05/bag for “single-use” plastic and paper bags. All revenue would be retained by merchants.
City Council is scheduled to review the proposed ordinance at the May 20 regular meeting. The ordinance could be adopted as early as mid-June, with the actual date of implementation to be determined.
The April open house is an opportunity for staff to collect comments and input from the community for Council review.
The public is encouraged to comment online fcgov.com/plasticbags, and attend the open house.
City staff will be on hand to discuss the proposed ordinance and gather public feedback. Light refreshments will be available.
For more information, contact Susie Gordon in the Fort Collins Environmental Services Department at 970-221-6265, or sgordon@fcgov.com.
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