PUEBLO — On Monday night, Pueblo City Council was supposed to vote on a no sit or lie ordinance that would make it illegal to sit or lie down on a sidewalk in some areas of Pueblo, including in the downtown business area. That vote has been pushed to the next city council meeting on April 28.
The Pueblo Police Department has previously voiced their support for the no sit and lie ordinance saying it is dangerous for people to be laying or sleeping on or near the sidewalk.
The owner of Gagliano's Italian Market & Deli, Vince Gagliano, said the ordinance could help bring more business to his store.
Gagliano's Italian Market & Deli has been serving meatballs, pastries and other Italian signatures to Pueblo for 105 years.
Vince said for the past five years they have been dealing with people loitering outside the store including the back alleyway.
"You got to do something. Something needs to be done,” Vince said.
Vince has countless surveillance cameras capturing videos and pictures of people sitting next to his business on the sidewalk.
"This is normal, you'll find them sitting when I'm not here, like Friday, there were six of them against my back wall,” Vince said.
He said 24/7 there are people in the alley behind his business.
"Who's gonna walk through here when it's like that,” Vince said.
Vince said it makes it less inviting for his long-time regulars and making it harder to attract new customers.
"I don't want to have to deal with this all day long. All day long, I walk to the back door and I'm like, Hey, you got to move. Hey, you got to move,” Vince said.
Vince is hoping a no sit and lie ordinance will help. The ordinance would make it against the law for anyone to sit, kneel, recline, or lie down from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m on sidewalks, streets, curbs, parking spaces and alleyways.
"This whole alley, but this area in particular, they'll be 15 or 20 of them there,” Vince said.
The ordinance would go into effect in multiple neighborhoods across Pueblo including the Bessemer business area where Gagliano's is located.
But not everyone is in favor of the ordinance.
"It's not fair this new ordinance is not fair,” Pastor Paul said.
Pastor Paul said he is worried this change will hurt the elderly, homeless and people with disabilities.
"I lost my foot in a rock crusher in 97,” Pastor Paul said. "You think the people that have disabilities, like me, have nowhere to sit down. You know, if I was to happen to be walking downtown or something, I couldn't walk. I'm not homeless. I'm not a vagrant, somebody. I needed to sit down for 10 or 15 minutes to take the pressure off my hip,” Pastor Paul said.
Pastor Paul is concerned about the ordinance but tells me he agrees with Vince that people should not be able to sit and block business.
"If you see him sleeping in the doorway, give him the ticket. Because you know what, they're hindering their business. So I understand how that is, but if they're just having a sit and rest, they shouldn't get a ticket for that,” Pastor Paul said.
If the ordinance passes, the Pueblo Police Department would have to give someone a warning before they can write them a citation. After a warning, the individual would be fined $100.
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Pueblo City Council postpones vote on 'sit-lie' ordinance
On Monday night, Pueblo City Council was supposed to vote on a no sit or lie ordinance that would make it illegal to sit or lie down on a sidewalk in some areas of Pueblo, including in the downtown business area. That vote has been pushed to the next city council meeting on April 28.
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