CAPE MAY – The City Council wants establishments that provide takeout food to help the city keep a lid on trash problems.

The council on Tuesday, July 16, introduced an ordinance amendment requiring such businesses to provide trash and recycling receptacles within 10 feet of their entrances, and to empty them regularly.

The council’s action is a response to an increasing burden placed on the city’s Public Works Department as takeout food customers overload city trash receptacles, creating an unsightly and unsanitary mess.

Mayor Zack Mullock said he had hoped the problem could be resolved by discussions between city officials and business owners, but that avenue was not producing the necessary result.

The ordinance defines the takeout businesses as those that serve ice cream or frozen confections, pizza, sandwiches, smoothies and any other food to go.

In response to a question from the public, Mullock said the new ordinance’s rules would also apply to beach concessions.

A public hearing on the ordinance and a potential vote to adopt it are scheduled for the Aug. 6 meeting of the council, scheduled for 3 p.m.

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.