The city commission plans to meet tonight to discuss changing the current Disorderly House ordinance and amending the state traffic ordinance to ban golf carts on streets and texting on cell phones while driving.

Riley County Police Department responded to more than 700 complaints in 2008 of "nuisance activities on private property," according to the agenda.

The current code has vague wording and is not enforceable, according to RCPD. Commissioners will be discussing several options to change the ordinance or create a similar ordinance to help cut down on the complaints from neighbors about loud noise, disorderly conduct, public urination, littering and property damage.

The city will be looking at similar ordinances created in Ames, Iowa, and Fort Collins, Colo. Other ordinances include modifying the rental inspection ordinance, modifying unlawful the unlawful assembly ordinance, creating party registrations or creating a nuisance party ordinance.

The agenda also states the ordinance must not violate citizens' constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, the right to due process and the right not to be punished twice for a single offense.

"I'm kind of like coach [Bill] Snyder; I've been living in that end [of town] long enough that everyone complains about students urinating," Commissioner Loren Pepperd said. "Sometimes the students need to take responsibility for their actions."

Pepperd said the city has ordinances governing all the complaints, but the problem lies with enforcement and willingness of the police department to enforce the ordinances. He said the codes need clarification and looks forward to hearing from the city and police department concerning how they plan on enforcing these ordinances.

Secondly, the city plans to discuss amendments to the standard traffic ordinance. Each year the state sends an updated set of traffic ordinances for each city to adopt or amend as they see fit. This year the city opted to ban "the use of golf carts and work-site utility vehicles on city streets" and to prohibit drivers from texting or using "hand-held wireless communications devices." If adopted, the bans will go in affect Jan. 1, 2010.

Tonight's session is a work session and no action will be taken. The city plans to hear discussion and make their decision at a later date. The meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. Citizens are encouraged to attend or speak at the meeting. It will also be broadcast on local cable channel 3.