MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Common Council today approved an ordinance that will take effect on April 1, 2019 adopting a flat fee of $500 for littering offenses, in an effort to keep the greater Milwaukee community clean.

The ordinance eliminates the $25 to $500 penalty range for the first littering offense on public or private premises, and the $50 to $500 range for each subsequent offense, and stipulates the penalty for all littering on public or private premises be a flat $500 including all forfeitures, penalties, fees and assessments levied by the municipal court.

Alderwoman Chantia Lewis shared with the council her research of cities with similar penalties, which resulted in cleaner streets due to residents not wanting to pay steep fines for littering.