SALISBURY — At its last meeting, the Salisbury City Council officially approved of changing the city’s panhandling ordinance. While it does not strictly make panhandling illegal, it does limit where and how people can ask for money and other services.

As a component to Salisbury’s new ordinance, the city is going to put up educational signs “encouraging citizens to give to local charities, to provide services to panhandlers rather than providing money to panhandlers on the street,” City Manager Jim Greene said.

At the March 19 city council meeting, Transportation Director Wendy Brindle said the Salisbury Police Department pinpointed eight intersections where these signs can be placed.

While the city waits for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to sanction the signs at their maintained roadways, Salisbury has already put them on the approaches of city-owned streets. A total of 10 signs have been situated at Arlington Street and Freeland Drive, Market Station Drive at Faith Road, Arlington Street at Innes Street, Brenner Avenue at Jake Alexander Boulevard, as well as Lincolnton Road at Jake Alexander Boulevard.

There are plans to have more signs stationed at three different intersections at Jake Alexander Boulevard once the NCDOT gives the go ahead.

Residents are now able to stop by the police station located at 130 East Liberty Street to buy their own sign for $60 and an additional $45 for sign channel and hardware.

“The channel does have to be driven into the ground,” Brindle said.

Cash, credit card or check are all accepted forms of payment. Brindle advised the council that Police Chief Patrick “P.J.” Smith told her the signs do not have to be up for the ordinance to be enforced.