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Police chief trying to disperse loiterers in downtown courtyard
LATEST ON THIS STORYRelated Topics: WESTMINSTER, Md.
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WESTMINSTER, Md. (Map, News) - Westminster’s police chief is exploring whether to redesignate a courtyard downtown as a park to crack down on loiterers that local merchants say are scaring shoppers away.
“They are making the area less attractive to potential patrons,” Westminster Police Chief Jeffrey Spaulding said. “With park regulations, we’d have more of an ability to enforce conduct-related issues.”
Business owners complain that about 20 people consistently hang out at the corner of East Main Street and Locust Lane, across the street from the Westminster branch of the Carroll County Public Library.
The difficulty in enforcing loitering laws has forced Westminster officials to think creatively about alternative solutions, such as a park designation, where hours could be set and individuals banned.
To help combat the problem, the city removed benches and tables Tuesday from the Locust Lane courtyard — a positive change that dispersed the crowd, said Toni Pomeroy, who is planning the grand opening of her new business, Pomeroy Jewelers, next door.
The people who congregate outside “are as loud as can be,” she said.
“I don’t want a crowd of people intimidating [visitors] and blocking doors. We need some consistent change,” said Pomeroy, who added that she knew some families with young children who have stopped walking on Main Street to avoid the loiterers.
David Baxter, who owns the building which houses Pomeroy Jewelers, along with other retail space and offices on Locust Lane, said a drunken person knocked over a potential tenant and the tenant said he would never move to Westminster as a result.
“It’s not homeless people — it’s people with disregard for laws we set,” he said. “We have made a huge effort to revitalize downtown, bring in new businesses and move businesses back from Route 140 to Main Street.”
Lori Graham, president of the Greater Westminster Development Corporation, a group devoted to luring businesses to vacant storefronts downtown, agreed.
“Keep looking at Main Street,” she said, “as the place to be soon.”
kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
""Loiterers who spend more than three minutes within 10 feet of a nightclub door or line could be fined between $50 and $500 — and charged with a misdemeanor — if supervisors approve the bill passed by the Entertainment Commission on Tuesday night."" Sounds great. Now let's look at our Crystal Ball for what happens when the Board of Supervisors get this. Daly and Goldbrick will say it discriminates against minorities and wont be enforced in the Marina where the white yuppies hang out. Sandavol,Mirky, and Ammo will say that there is no causal connection to violence around club areas. Well that about sums up the state of affairs.
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Examiner Reader said:
Yes, Mr Spiegel, as long as there are people endangering our communities and our livelihoods there will be people who are interested in eradicating those problems.
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Examiner Reader said:
Not only is it safety a factor but also these un-inspected burrito wagons are breeding grounds for contaminated food. Most cater to Illegal Aliens workers and may not even have insurance or drivers licenses.
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