Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Camping topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Deltona advances public camping ordinance in first reading; commissioners, residents press for homeless-services plan
Summary
On first reading the commission approved an ordinance to prohibit public camping on city property and rights-of-way, aligning city code with recent Florida statutory changes. The new ordinance sets escalating fines and creates a complaint process; public commenters urged the city to pair enforcement with a homelessness services plan.
The City Commission approved Ordinance 15-2025 at first reading to establish Chapter 43 (Public Camping) in the City of Deltona Code of Ordinances. The ordinance largely implements requirements in the Florida statute that took effect Oct. 1, 2024, and prohibits public camping and sleeping on city buildings, grounds and rights-of-way except in narrowly defined recreational or designated areas.
Under the ordinance's proposed enforcement framework, code enforcement officers and law-enforcement officers may issue penalties: a first violation with a minimum fine of $50, a second violation with a minimum fine of $100, and subsequent violations with a minimum of $200. The ordinance also allows an officer to issue a warning notice in lieu of a fine and authorizes code or law enforcement to pursue trespass warnings or other remedies; penalties and enforcement steps are outlined in Exhibit A to the ordinance. The commission voted 6-0 on the first reading.
Public comment focused on homelessness services and enforcement consequences. Dana McCool and Kathy Bridal urged commissioners to present a plan for homelessness services and outreach before or concurrent with enforcement, noting limited bed capacity for people experiencing homelessness and the need for social-service coordination. Commenters warned that imposing fines on people living without shelter creates enforcement challenges and may shift costs to the criminal-justice system.
Why it matters: The state law imposes obligations on municipalities to prevent permissive public camping that could otherwise expose a city to legal claims, attorney's fees or penalties. The Deltona ordinance tracks Volusia County's approach and includes a complaint process and escalating fines to create an enforceable local standard.
Next steps: The ordinance passed first reading; staff said the ordinance was modeled closely on Volusia County's ordinance and had been reviewed with county counsel and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office for consistency. The commission requested that at second reading staff include information on how the city will coordinate with county services and shelter providers and what options exist for alternatives to fines when individuals lack ability to pay.
