HomeMy WebLinkAbout20-03 Resolution to remind and inform residents of littering ordinances and the dangers of releasing balloons rNr,rnir..r'y.
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A. 441 County-City Building• 227 W.Jefferson Blvd
South Bend,Indiana 46601 MAR 0 2020
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South Bend Common Council March 3, 2020
Tim Scott 4th Floor, County-City Building ivD,IN
President South Bend, IN 46601
Karen L.White Re: A RESOLUTION ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH BEND
Vice-President COMMON COUNCIL REMINDING RESIDENTS OF CURRENT
Sharon L. McBride LITTERING ORDINANCES AND INFORMING RESIDENTS OF
Chairperson,Committee DANGERS OF RELEASING BALLOONS AND SKY LANTERNS
of the Whole INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND ENCOURAGING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND AN
Tim Scott ALTERNATIVE TO BALLOON AND SKY LANTERN RELEASES
First District
Dear Council Members:
Henry Davis,Jr.
Second District I am asking for your favorable consideration of this Resolution. This Resolution
Sharon L.McBride notes many dangers related to the release of balloons and sky lanterns within the
Third District City and discourages residents from making such releases. These dangers
include harm to animals who eat or become entangled in the debris and power
Troy Warner outages resulting from metallic or foil balloons contacting overhead power lines
Fourth District
The Resolution also strongly encourages the South Bend Office of Sustainability
Jake Teshka and other similarly environmentally concerned partners to provide, free of
Fifth District charge, educational programs and literature informing residents of these dangers.
Sheila Niezgodski You may recall that these thoughts were originally included in a proposed
Sixth District ordinance, Bill No. 04-20 which was tabled at the February 10, 2020 meeting.
Karen L. White Based on suggestions made at the meeting, and my own additional reflections, I
At Large believe that reminding residents of the litter ordinances currently in the
Rachel Tomas Morgan Municipal Code and the establishment of educational programs and literature as
At Large provided in this resolution will meet the same objectives of the tabled ordinance
without increasing the enforcement burdens on the Police Department and Code
Lori K. Hamann Enforcement.
At Large
I ask that this bill be included for discussion at the March 9, 2020 Health and
Public Safety Committee meeting and subsequently considered at the full
Council meeting.
Sincerely yours,
Jake Teshka, South Bend Common Council,
District 5
BILL NO.20-03
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH BEND COMMON COUNCIL REMINDING
RESIDENTS OF CURRENT LITTERING ORDINANCES AND INFORMING RESIDENTS OF
DANGERS OF RELEASING BALLOONS AND SKY LANTERNS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND
ENCOURAGING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND AN
ALTERNATIVE TO BALLOON AND SKY LANTERN RELEASES
WHEREAS, The South Bend Common Council determines that balloons and sky lanterns released into
the atmosphere return to the earth as litter; and
WHEREAS,The South Bend Common Council further determines that the release of balloons and sky
lanterns into the atmosphere poses a danger and a nuisance to the environment and wildlife that may ingest this
debris; and
WHEREAS,The St. Joseph River is recognized as a beautiful asset of the City of South Bend and is
home to many species of fish and other wildlife; and
WHEREAS, animals, especially water wildlife, mistake the remains of balloons as food that may
potentially damage digestive systems; and
WHEREAS,animals, birds and water wildlife also become entangled in the remnants of balloons and
the ribbons or strings connected to them; and
WHEREAS,even biodegradable balloons do not degrade quickly enough to avoid ingestion by wildlife;
and
WHEREAS, some power companies estimate that 16-20% of annual power outages are caused by
balloons,primarily due to metallic or foil balloons interacting with power lines, including 1,128 balloon related
explosions or power outages in 2018 in the area served by Southern California Edison. Just one outage in Palo
Alto, California, caused by a mylar balloon, affected about 2,500 customers; and
WHEREAS,sky lanterns are similarly dangerous having caused: structure fires; wildfires; burns to
humans; and injuries and death to animals that eat the fallen litter or become entangled in the fallen debris.
WHEREAS,released balloons can travel great distances in a short amount of time. For example, in
1998, a balloon released at the Olympics in Nagano, Japan, landed in Los Angeles 49 hours later, a distance of
approximately 5,300 miles; and
WHEREAS,Chapter 16, Article 3, Sections 16-13 to and including 16-26 currently regulates the
existence of litter in the City; and
WHEREAS, additional education and information is necessary to instruct residents of the current
ordinances related to litter and, in particular, the dangers of releasing balloons and sky lanterns into the
atmosphere.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH
BEND, INDIANA,AS FOLLOWS:
Section I. The South Bend Common Council reminds City residents of the current ordinances
regulating litter in the City.
Section II. The Common Council strongly discourages the release of balloons and sky lanterns in
the atmosphere surrounding the City.
Section III. The Common Council encourages the City's Office of Sustainability and other
similarly environmentally concerned partners to provide, free of charge, educational programs and
literature informing residents of the dangers of released balloons and sky lanterns.
Section IV. The Common Council also encourages the City to donate tree saplings from its tree
farm to families holding memorial services as an alternative to releases of balloons and sky lanterns.
Section IV. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from after its adoption by the Common
Council and approval by the Mayor.
Tim Scott, Council President
South Bend Common Council