BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — The Bristol, Virginia City Council approved on first reading an ordinance that would make it illegal to urinate or defecate in public.
The measure would make it a misdemeanor to urinate, defecate or expose one’s genitals “for the purpose of urinating or defecating, in or on any sidewalk, street, or in any public place, or in view of the public” except when in a restroom.
“We have a whole lot of people who are coming downtown trying to enjoy downtown or running businesses downtown and it’s important that they’re able to do so in an environment that’s safe for business owners and for patrons and is also sanitary for everybody involved,” Mayor Neal Osborne told News Channel 11.
The ordinance passed on first reading Tuesday evening, but council members will have to approve it a second time to add it to the city code.
Violating the ordinance would be a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to a year in jail and $2,500 in fines.
