Cuyahoga County鈥檚 ban on plastic bags could go forward next year without the county鈥檚 largest city on board.
Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley introduced legislation Monday night that would delay the ban in the city while a working group discusses prohibitions on disposable bags. The working group would propose a city-wide ban by 2021, with plans to implement it by 2022.
鈥淚 am proposing the same end, but that we get there through a process of community building, stakeholder buy-in and a thoughtful implementation,鈥� Kelley told ideastream. 鈥淭hat will take some time鈥攖he exact time to be determined鈥攂ut I think that鈥檚 going to take at least a year.鈥�
Council will likely vote on the measure Dec. 2, the body鈥檚 last regular meeting before the countywide ban goes into effect Jan 1, 2020. On Monday, the county announced a six-month grace period before retailers face fines for distributing plastic bags.
Supporters of the county鈥檚 bag ban responded with frustration to Kelley鈥檚 move. Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon, , called the city legislation an unnecessary step that undermines the county鈥檚 efforts.
鈥淐oming in at the midnight hour to delay and continue to talk about this issue certainly would not be a positive for the city of Cleveland or the rest of the county,鈥� she said in a phone interview Monday.
Cuyahoga County will move forward with its bag ban, even if Cleveland chooses to delay participating, Simon said.
City council members debated Kelley鈥檚 proposal at a Monday evening caucus meeting. Councilman Matt Zone argued against passing Kelley鈥檚 legislation before the end of the year.
鈥淲e have a moral imperative to leave this planet better than we inherit it,鈥� Zone said, 鈥渁nd by us delaying this, what type of message are we trying to send to our constituency?鈥�
But Kelley appeared to have support from several members, including Councilman Blaine Griffin.
鈥淣obody is saying that plastic bags are good,鈥� Griffin said, arguing the city should examine how the ban will impact businesses and customers in Cleveland. 鈥淭hose are some of the things that we need to look at, and do our due diligence.鈥�
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