[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6565158,"mediaKeyId","3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d","parentId",3226078,"title","Grants Pass council rewrites camping rules, declares emergency and designates temporary \"authorized resting sites\" amid court injunction","audioSeconds",952,"startMs",3059000,"endMs",4011000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d&start=3059&end=4011","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d/thumbnail_3059000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6565158/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Grants-Pass-council-rewrites-camping-rules-declares-emergency-and-designates-temporary-authorized-resting-sites-amid-court-injunction","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565158-da492573b61913feed3ad5c9ffe99af3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199397&Signature=dELIXzG~T31AN4jZWQwyA2ATy8alxhfdFGsn0Qip4YbNvmyas-TZmwTxmyRE8tMCuNXJJ~5-P-jSMtIEPZqDbYaMfM0HrS9AMpYg4PNkd22s~94cFv0IOO9HOoFnWmurM1QAJORAmcJIB28SQyJel452d8e8mCxViVnf~Q05Hr84HkeoUfPHjnqwCXC9eeeQdaEUHWtoUhbokg6DrMQY4zAWK2pBKTQUXL8kI~hwGRlXC5SF13o9M~EdjV4zFMiG-MaN0yiHQrG5xVdZikPOcQEzBrvfC3~gjj~00-2b2nVigz5ruaa6RaW2FNzpWqzf6R9Ab6QK~5qnMLgMlCkxhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Grants Pass, OR","date","2025-05-07T21:43:57Z","article","Grants Pass — The City Council voted to rewrite city rules on sleeping and personal property in parks, consolidate camping restrictions into a single parks chapter, declare an emergency so the ordinance takes effect immediately, and adopt a resolution identifying temporary \"authorized resting sites\" in the downtown area.

City Attorney Stephanie Nudl told council the changes are intended to respond to a federal-civil-rights lawsuit and recent state law requiring any regulation of sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors to be “objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner with regard to persons experiencing homelessness.” She said the revisions consolidate overlapping rules in Grants Pass Municipal Code chapter 5.61 and chapter 6.46 and add clearer definitions and site limits. \"This action supports council's goal of leadership by amending the city laws to clarify and consolidate the laws regarding use of city parks and authorized resting sites,\" Nudl said.

Nut graf: The ordinance and companion resolution come amid litigation by Disability Rights Oregon, which obtained a preliminary injunction earlier this year blocking enforcement of parts of the city's camping ordinance. Council members and staff said the code rewrite and the city’s established sites are intended to address the court's concerns while preserving public-safety and park access.

The ordinance moves the prohibitions on sleeping on sidewalks and in doorways into chapter 5.61 and shifts camping-related definitions and removal procedures into parks code (chapter 6.46). Nudl said the draft includes a new definition of \"authorized resting site,\" a required time limit for any designated site, an 8-by-8-foot maximum footprint per person, and a 3-foot buffer from people and park amenities. The code also adds a provision that personal property may not be attached to city property, fences or vegetation.

Nudl described the litigation timeline for council: on Jan. 30 the court issued a temporary restraining order, and on March 28 the court granted a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement of the camping provisions. The city has been told the injunction could be lifted if the municipality returns to a 150-person capacity for sites with Americans with Disabilities Act compliance; staff say the city met the 150-person/ADA requirements in April and the ordinance language refinements are the remaining step to ask the court to lift the injunction.

Police Chief told council his officers continue to see violent incidents tied to camps and said enforcement resources are strained. \"Bottom line, it's not good,\" he said, describing recent assaults and resource-intensive calls that required tactical response and hospital transports.

Public comment at several points was sharply divided. Some downtown residents and business owners said the city was concentrating safety and quality-of-life problems near homes and shops and asked for alternatives and security measures. Resident Holly Reyes said she and neighbors are \"completely overrun\" and listed assaults, needles and trash as immediate concerns. Several other speakers, including business owners, asked the council to relocate the temporary sites away from the commercial core and to provide security, camera coverage and compensation for documented losses.

Other public speakers urged compassion and for city leaders to include lived experience when shaping the response. One camp resident, using the name Lionheart, urged the council to gather interviews and focus groups with people experiencing homelessness and argued that harsher conditions in camps fuel self-medication and instability.

Council action: the ordinance amending camping-related code provisions (converting and updating sections of 5.61 and adding numbered sections in 6.46, and declaring an emergency) passed on first and second readings and was read and passed with unanimous roll-call votes. Later the council adopted a companion resolution that identifies authorized resting sites; that resolution passed 5–2. Council members Rick and Indra voted no on the resolution; five councilors voted yes. Council discussion and the final votes show the split: most members said they wanted sites established in order to seek lifting of the injunction and to remove camping from parks, while dissenting members objected to the chosen locations and to the process.

What it means next: The ordinance takes immediate effect under its emergency clause. The resolution lists specific parking-lot and park locations designated as temporary sites (the council identified sites near Sixth Street and Seventh Street and two adjacent parcels near Seventh Street). Staff said the city can remove or change sites by resolution, and the length of stay at an authorized site is limited by the terms the council sets. Where the city allows an established site to be used, removal of personal property after the site’s posted length-of-stay must follow statutory notice requirements; for other park locations staff said immediate removal is allowed because parks are considered day-use. Nudl said the council’s amendments were intended to respond to the court's concern about vague or context-dependent code language.

Council members said they will continue to coordinate with the county, court counsel and service providers and monitor public-safety impacts. Several councilors urged additional outreach and assistance programs. Members also asked staff to explore ways to reduce the localized impacts on nearby residents and businesses, including looking at security and camera coverage and temporary parking measures for affected properties.

Ending: The council's actions set a short-term legal route to ask the court to lift its injunction, but they do not implement permanent housing or services; annexation, rezoning, or sheltering options will remain subject to separate processes, additional approvals and funding. Council members and residents said they expect more public meetings as the city implements the new code and manages the temporary sites going forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Grants Pass City Council Meeting May 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Grants Pass City Council voted to consolidate camping rules into its parks code, declare an emergency so the changes take effect immediately, and designate temporary \"authorized resting sites\" downtown as it works to comply with a court order and new state limits on outdoor-sleeping restrictions.","taxTitle","Grants Pass City, Josephine County, Oregon","taxId",48732,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6565147,"Votes at a glance: Grants Pass council actions on housing, parks, strategic plan and city operations",4834,4834000,-1,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d&start=4834&end=0","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d/thumbnail_4834000.jpg","/articles/6565147/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Votes-at-a-glance-Grants-Pass-council-actions-on-housing-parks-strategic-plan-and-city-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565147-9dfc6428ff9c09e43f397670403a3101/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199397&Signature=XblnxT7Xlt5CaLtwD3yT6tm83wegM1wvkbSt2VcdJz0wOg~ixVLfZ2TmLACS74CxZKGtQE5xqC7TBgOx6d65UxvAhwf3QxYgNyXly5g9ATTfVQZybVVM7IdPVE~6-U-Vi6v5VuS6BucLUTJnvWpYAjAiipsLzRGRlEz3Id1zbzbrpnRBUkINDEWkbGi5tws4t0jxaRaupSOUoY7cGheQKahwFF8QuuCKrZaBOH-1ZwcjF4IUnku8ZDTDR0mnh7BlH3G72JOZhOT2slt~gkDtZ-MKUkaw2QlKcSfFj7ZiDN4x1j0LOBF3Ise7JWD8YnyHPSFC52HNQRbdijnsVj9RVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grants Pass — The City Council took a series of formal votes on ordinances, resolutions and appointments. Most measures passed unanimously; the resolution establishing temporary authorized resting sites in the downtown area passed on a 5–2 vote.

Key votes (roll-call results reported in meeting):

- Ordinance amending municipal code to consolidate camping restrictions into parks code (GPMC 5.61 / 6.46) — Adopted (first and second reading; unanimous roll-call votes). Emergency clause invoked so ordinance takes immediate effect.

- Resolution identifying authorized resting sites (temporary sites near Sixth and Seventh Streets and adjacent parcels) — Adopted 5–2 (Councilors Rick and Indra voted no; five voted yes). The resolution implements site designations that staff said are temporary and subject to future change by resolution.

- Annexation ordinance (Parcel 36-06-13-DA, Tax Lot 1000; 535 Lincoln Road) — Adopted (first and second readings; unanimous roll-call votes). Developer and staff said utilities are adjacent and the proposed project would provide middle-housing lots.

- Ordinance amending the Urban Growth Boundary and Comprehensive Plan Map (UGB exchange) — Adopted (first and second readings; unanimous roll-call votes). Staff and consultants described a targeted exchange that adds about 41.5 acres for development potential with an estimated capacity of roughly 152 units; county approval is still required.

- Resolution adopting the City’s Strategic Plan and updated mission, vision and values for 2025–27 — Adopted (unanimous). The plan lists five strategic goals (public safety, fiscal stability, economic growth, housing and homelessness, infrastructure) and related outcomes.

- Resolution readopting the city’s investment policy — Adopted (unanimous). Staff said the policy edits are mostly cosmetic and align the city with market changes; the city continues to use an investment adviser under contract.

- Resolution waiving park reservation fees for the June 7, 2025 Froggle Fair (Riverside Park) — Adopted (unanimous). Organizers said the fee waiver would help cover extra restroom and sanitation costs and provide more child activities.

- Appointment to the Solid Waste Agency — Eric Wade appointed (unanimous).

Other items: the council adopted the consent agenda (with two starred items pulled for further work by staff), and several public-comment issues were raised on homelessness, parks and downtown impacts. Councilors asked staff for follow-up on security, camera coverage, temporary parking accommodations for affected residents, and additional community outreach.

Ending: Several votes were explicitly tied to court-directed timelines and the emergency ordinance; the council and staff said additional operational steps and county approvals are required to implement the land-use and parks decisions.","Councilors approved a package of measures including code amendments that move camping rules into the parks chapter, unanimous land-use ordinances for annexation and a targeted UGB exchange, adoption of the city strategic plan, re-adoption of the investment policy, and a fee waiver for a children’s event. One resolution authorizing temporary resting sites passed 5–2.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6565153,"Council annexes Lincoln Road parcel, approves urban growth boundary exchange to add ~41 acres for housing",491,769000,1260000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d&start=769&end=1260","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3226078-943a721b46c18164a06aa0b704fcc89d/thumbnail_769000.jpg","/articles/6565153/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Council-annexes-Lincoln-Road-parcel-approves-urban-growth-boundary-exchange-to-add-41-acres-for-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565153-a05907bba0f93a091aae7ae984d6076c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199397&Signature=UnPxzRN6D6-BKqMyGhWALnzu7J7uUvUCHA769bNbDz6UblfWVjnpbZHWXUcEAt6rjjRwoHHKjBiinV2YSKmst91~ZB45lBLpMXBNOJhJXCzIPOEn36yWiOLD5Qr8qEI5W1oNB7rxmp5K4bgLnDdaV9yXG5ABNFYF4um9lgqCofpncHYppg5uHuFUl6vWWdsHYlqUUbRpnovyWpGIgOXTJwW7MPHoYiDgzaS2cm-ZnkAQvY7qo0plyVEcIdt13gubynFQ6QxC0bMT-P~33CFY5VbMIM~CCW2l28WBbxTBcfhIw~K~ad0RVVfum55VEvz17~Z0fjgbwg~W9V~JXwKIew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grants Pass — The City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to annex a 2.5-acre parcel at 535 Lincoln Road into city limits and also approved a targeted amendment to the urban growth boundary and comprehensive plan that would add roughly 41 acres in the urban reserve and remove an approximately equivalent amount of land from the UGB.

Nut graf: Staff said the annexation would allow a developer to extend J Street and proceed with a planned middle-housing land division that anticipates five lots with four units each (20 dwelling units total). The UGB exchange is a state-funded, consultant-led study designed to add land that is more buildable while removing constrained parcels, with a projected capacity of about 152 housing units across the areas proposed for inclusion.

Bradley Clark of Community Development presented the annexation application for a Consolidated Land Holdings LLC property (applicant Gary Yancer) at the west edge of the urban growth boundary. Clark said utilities are adjacent — city water in J Street, sewer in Lincoln and J Street — and the property has a comprehensive plan designation of moderate density and an existing zoning of R-2. Clark said the pre-application sketch anticipates a middle-housing land division of five lots with four units per lot.

Developer Grant Yancer, representing Northridge Construction and Brothers Construction, told council his past small-lot projects sold at lower entry prices and that the proposed annexation would allow similar smaller, more affordable homes by using middle-housing code flexibility. \"We were able to sell those new homes ranging from $350,000 to $380,000,\" Yancer said of a recent project that produced smaller, more-affordable units.

Seth moved to adopt the annexation ordinance for Parcel 36-06-13-DA, Tax Lot 1000, for first reading; Victoria seconded. The council then adopted the second reading as well; votes were unanimous on both readings.

Mark Trinidad, planning manager, and Matt Hastie of consultant MIG presented the urban growth boundary exchange study. Hastie described the process: the city defined a study area that focused on urban reserve lands, compiled a larger list of candidate properties, consulted property owners and county staff, and then narrowed the proposal to three inclusion areas (labeled Central-1-I, West-1-I and West-2-I) and multiple exclusion parcels with development constraints. He said the package is additive (alternatives A, B, C) and the staff recommendation reflects the planning commission's unanimous support.

Hastie said Johnson Economics performed a market analysis and that the total inclusion acreage with the property added after planning commission testimony (a parcel at 1500 Hubbard Lane) came to about 41.5 acres, with a projected capacity of about 152 units. The proposal is an exchange, not a net expansion of the UGB, he said; land and residential capacity taken out is approximately equivalent to land brought in.

Councilors asked about parking and traffic. Rick asked whether on-site parking would be required; Clark said the pre-application indicated parking. Hastie said the study did not include traffic modeling because traffic studies are typically performed at annexation or development application stage; he said any later project that exceeds trip thresholds would require a traffic study.

The council voted unanimously to approve a first reading and then a second reading of the ordinance amending the UGB and comprehensive plan map. Rick moved the first-reading motion for the UGB amendment; Seth seconded. The second-reading motion was made by Kathleen and seconded by Victoria; the roll-call vote was unanimous.

Ending: Both actions clear procedural steps for future annexation, rezoning and development review. Staff noted that separate annexation hearings, map amendments, and development permits will be required before building can begin, and that the county must also approve the UGB exchange before it takes effect regionally.","Council approved an ordinance to annex a 2.5-acre parcel on Lincoln Road into the city and unanimously adopted a companion ordinance approving a targeted urban growth boundary (UGB) exchange to add roughly 41 acres of buildable land (and remove an approximately equivalent amount) intended to improve residential development feasibility.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Grants Pass council rewrites camping rules, declares emergency and designates temporary "authorized resting sites" amid court injunction

Votes at a glance: Grants Pass council actions on housing, parks, strategic plan and city operations

Council annexes Lincoln Road parcel, approves urban growth boundary exchange to add ~41 acres for housing