Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Spokane council debates new camping and sidewalk obstruction ordinance amid split public testimony
Summary
Council members debated an ordinance consolidating rules on unauthorized camping, sidewalk obstruction and encampment removal. Business groups sought stronger enforcement; advocates and service providers warned that sweeping without shelter capacity would harm vulnerable people and not solve homelessness.
The Spokane City Council considered Ordinance C36‑679, a rewrite of city rules covering unauthorized camping, obstruction of public right‑of‑way, and encampment removal. The ordinance, as amended, changes notice and enforcement language and expands the city’s ability to act on encampments in certain circumstances; it produced extensive testimony from downtown businesses, hospitality groups, social‑service providers and unhoused individuals.
Downtown employers and business coalitions urged immediate, consistent enforcement and creation of a downtown “hospitality zone” with clearer prohibitions on sitting, lying or obstructing sidewalks, and with rapid removal where camps create sanitation or safety hazards. Emily Cameron, president and CEO of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, told the council “Downtown sidewalks are not designed as places to sit or lie” and urged that “any portion” language added in a recent…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
