Augusta will try its hand at new ordinances that ban panhandling and make removing non-paying hotel guests easier.
Commissioner Sean Frantom, whose District 7 contends with both issues, brought Columbia County’s panhandling ordinance to the table as a model.
Augusta Commission committees are set to review the ordinances and other matters during Tuesday meetings. The full commission is scheduled to approve calculated rollback property tax rates after a public hearing as well.
The ordinance approved by Columbia County in March bans so-called “aggressive” panhandling, which involves physical contact or blocking, repeated requests, threats, creating fear or panhandling after dark.
All panhandling is prohibited if done within 30 feet of banks, ATMs and outdoor dining areas, toward people in cars, by intoxicated individuals or without a property owner’s permission.
The commission also recently voted to study a hotel-motel ordinance used by Morrow, Ga., and begins that process Tuesday.
The Morrow ordinance specifies how hoteliers check in guests and how they may remove them for nonpayment or other illegal activities without a court order.
It gives law enforcement access to premises at all reasonable times to enforce the ordinance or other violations or complaints.
