HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/15/2025 Item PC, DeRaffele
Julian DeRaffele <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:City Council Meeting 4/15/25 5:30pm
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Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
Dear San Luis Obispo City Council,
My name is Julian DeRaffele, a student at Cal Poly and a resident of San Luis Obispo. I’m writing to bring attention to a
small, everyday behavior with bigger implications, a seemingly minor but telling issue in our community: shopping cart
abandonment
We’ve all seen it—carts left in parking spaces, on sidewalks, or rolling freely into the street as opposed to being in the cart
corrals where they belong. It can damage and ding vehicles, obstruct parking spaces, block sidewalks, and even pose
physical risks to elderly residents or those with mobility challenges (yes people have been hit and knocked over by
runaway shopping carts through gusts of wind). For grocery store workers, it adds labor—more time spent chasing down
carts means less time assisting customers. Carts not in the corral leads to greater chances of them leaving the property
entirely, not only is it a violation of California state law, it’s also a financial and environmental burden on businesses and
our city.
Now this isn’t just about carts—it’s about the kind of community we want to be, the kind of person you want to be.
Ask yourself: what kind of place do I want to live in?
A place where we overlook the small things, leaving our problems for someone else to deal with, or one where we show
up for each other in simple everyday ways? Where common courtesy and consideration are part of the culture—even
when no one's watching.
In a small, tight-knit place like San Luis Obispo, our shared spaces such as Sprouts or Trader Joes reflect our shared
values. Returning your cart isn’t just polite; it’s a simple expression of altruism, civic responsibility and fellow citizen
behavior. These seemingly small acts matter!
I’m calling on fellow residents—and everyday shoppers—to take pride in bringing back acts of decency that keep our
community clean, safe, and neighborly.
Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a college student passing through, I am here to remind us all that we shape the
culture of our city through everyday choices. Being a good neighbor sometimes starts with something as simple as
walking a few extra feet to return your cart.
Thank you for your time and your service to our city.
Warmly,
Julian DeRaffele
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