Estrella council discusses proposed downtown exclusion zone to curb repeat illegal behavior

Estrella City Council on Monday held a work session focused on a proposed civil exclusion zone for the city’s downtown, a tool city staff say would let police bar people from a defined area after repeated unlawful behavior.

City Manager Spence, introducing ordinance No. 25, told council the proposal is not a new state law or a change to the city’s camping ordinance but “what is an effective mechanism to enforce the current standards that we have,” and to give staff a draft to refine with council feedback.

The proposal would allow exclusion from a downtown zone for specified violations, with listed exceptions to permit legally allowed activities such as seeking medical care or services. Police and council members repeatedly said the intent is to change behavior and not to deny services: Chief Kelly said the ordinance would allow someone to “walk through the area” and return for court or doctor appointments while preventing them from continuing illegal conduct in the zone.

But councilors and the chief debated how exclusions would work in practice, including how many warnings would be required,…