When nature calls in downtown Denver...well, though luck. Residents in the city has been complaining to the local government over a lack of public restrooms, leading downtown alleys and side streets to become rank with the smell of urination. Just last year, local police issued 550 misdemeanor citations for public urination and only 40 per cent were given to the homeless. Scroll down for video . Rude: Denver residents are complaining over a lack of public restrooms in the downtown area. In addition to a lack of public restrooms, many business only open up their bathrooms to paying customers. Above, a stern sign outside one downtown business . The issue is not only because of a lack of public restrooms, but also businesses who only open up their bathrooms to paying customers - going so far as to hang up stern signs like 'No pay. No poop. No pee.' In an op-ed for the Denver Post, retired journalist Dennis Ryerson cites suburbanization for the lack of free toilets. He says that when immigrants were first moving to downtown Denver a century ago, the city installed several 'comfort stations'. But as new building codes required businesses to provide restrooms for workers, and more people began to move to the suburbs, the restrooms were closed. No place to go: A Denver Public Works spokesman said the city is looking into solutions for the public restrooms issue . Heather Burke of Denver Public Works says the city is aware of the issue and is looking to rectify it. 'It's definitely on the city's radar; we have a working group that's looking at different options for public restrooms,' she told KDVR. 'There hasn't been a big need for it in the past but we're looking into it now because we've heard from the community that there is a big need for it,' she added. However, the speed of addressing the issue has Ryerson concerned. 'Denver has installed dog parks in my neighborhood and others. We are taking care of the dogs. Why can't we address a basic element of human health and sanitation?' he writes. 'Other cities, from San Francisco to New York, Calgary to El Paso, Victoria, B.C., to Philadelphia, are beginning to address the issue. Not Denver. Here, we pretend it's not a problem, or that it's somebody else's problem,' Ryerson adds.
Only 40 per cent of the citations were issued to the homeless . Many businesses in downtown Denver refuse to let anyone use their bathrooms without paying for something .