Panhandling Comes Up Again At Darien Council

DARIEN, IL – Panhandling returned as a topic Monday at a Darien City Council meeting, with an alderman reporting on a resident's call.

Alderman Ted Schauer said a resident told him about signs on Oak Brook medians forbidding people from sitting, standing or remaining on the roadway. Violations can mean fines of up to $250.

It's an apparent attempt to stop panhandling, which has been reported on Darien's major Cass Avenue intersections over the years.

Schauer said he brought up the signs to the local police department. He said he was told that such a rule could not be enforced because it must apply to charitable groups such as the Lions.

"It's something that sounds great on paper," he said. "But in reality, it can't be enforced unless it affects everybody."

Schauer also brought up the issue in early 2020, saying he got a complaint about panhandlers. At the time, the city had been advised that Supreme Court decisions protected direct solicitations on First Amendment grounds.

Alderwoman Mary Sullivan got a similar answer during a 2023 council meeting.