ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — If you have garbage or trash stored in public view in Robertsdale, you had better clean it up.

The Robertsdale City Council voted Monday night to adopt amended regulations dealing with litter. The new regulations are designed to corral nuisance yard sales, an issue that council member Sue Cooper has said is becoming a growing problem in the Hub City. The new regulations were presented by City Attorney Kenneth Raines. All members of the council were present for the meeting.

The issue has come up at several different council meetings over the past few months.

“This amends existing ordinances,” said Raines.

“You already had a lot of the definitions about litter, trash, et cetera,” said Raines. “This expands definitions a little bit, and then I specifically added sections to address problems of people keeping this piled up in a manner that may serve as a nuisance or may devalue the income of other residents in the neighborhood.”

While not specifically addressing nuisance yard sales, the new ordinance does address the storage of goods offered for sale. If the items are placed in containers, it is to be done in such a manner “as to prevent it from being carried or deposited by the elements upon the elements upon any street, sidewalk, or other public places or upon private property.”

According to Raines, the ordinance now includes language to include unenclosed carports, porches and patios.

The new ordinance also contains language concerning the distribution of handbills for commercial and noncommercial purposes, including dropping the flyers from an airplane.

As one would expect, people are not permitted to litter on public, municipal or private property.

Amending the ordinance allowed Raines to tackle something new — the garbage cans now provided by the city to residents. Chapter nine, sections 1-7 now make it clear that the garbage can provided by the city is the city’s property and gives regulations as to where those cans may be placed and what may be put into waste receptacles. The ordinance also mandates that “garbage and/or trash cans must be removed from steetside after pickup by city within 24 hours.”

“I like it better,” said Cooper. “I am hoping this will do it.”

The one part of Raines’ ordinance that was not approved involved “pods” or portable storage containers. The council decided they wanted to look at the issue further, especially the amount of time the containers would be allowed on the property. The issue will come up at a future work session.

In other action the council approved payment of more than $954,000 in bills and the minutes of the Dec. 15 meeting. The council also voted to approve the liquor license for DJs Diner located at 23529 Highway 59.

Councilors heard from Karen Bill, owner of the Children’s Learning Center on Palmer Street. She asked the council to allow her to move her January rent, about $2,800, to the end of her lease. She said that the parents who are using her day care have run into financial difficulties, in turn making it hard for her to meet the rent.

“A lot of parents are working less time,” said Bill. Currently, parents owe her about $5,400. The day care has operated off a set amount.

“I want to pay early if I am able to,” said Bill, adding that many of her parents have already promised to make up their arrears over the next few months. She is also attending a meeting next month to see if she can get state funding for her cook and food.

The council voted unanimously to approve Bill’s plan.

The city council also voted unanimously to accept a drainage easement and land donation of 1.44 acres on Palmer Street, County Road 65. The easement will allow city crews to clear the ditch and improve drainage in the area. The ditch already is home to one beaver dam.

The council also hear an appeal from Theresa King and Martha Skipper, chair and vice-chair of Baldwin County’s bicentennial steering committee for permission to have liquor at the committee’s “North/South Ball” to be held at the Baldwin County Coliseum Jan. 24.

“We were planning to have a cash bar,” explained King.

However, King explained, advertisements for the ball appeared to draw the ire of the Alabama Beverage Control board, which has asked for the event to have a special type of liquor licensee.

“They pounced,” said King.

The pair wanted the council to give them a letter that they could take to the ABC board and apply for a special event license,

The council approved the request unanimously.