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Council advances amended safe‑parking rules to expand licensing and ease site limits
Summary
The council introduced and gave first reading to changes that replace the temporary overnight camping permit with a neighborhood-services issued license, remove the five‑vehicle-per‑lot cap, eliminate fixed hours, relax notification requirements and streamline appeals. Council voted unanimously on the first reading and staff will return with
The Goleta City Council on Sept. 16 introduced and gave first reading to amendments to the city code governing temporary overnight camping and safe‑parking sites. The proposed changes are aimed at increasing the number of available safe‑parking spaces and making it administratively easier for property owners or nonprofit operators to host licensed safe‑parking programs.
Homelessness services coordinator Chuck Flax explained the city’s existing ordinance (in place for many years) limited locations, required a planning-permit pathway and imposed restrictions—such as a 7 a.m. departure time, limits on vehicle types and a five‑vehicle cap per lot—that have constrained program expansion. Staff drafted changes to replace the temporary overnight camping permit with a temporary overnight camping license issued by Neighborhood Services, remove the fixed operating hours requirement, eliminate the five‑vehicle cap and remove the requirement that property owners maintain a registry of occupant vehicles.
Staff said these changes were developed in consultation with New Beginnings (the current safe‑parking provider) and county partners; the goal is to increase available licensed sites (including potential commercial lots) and make the city’s administrative process workable. A request for proposals to identify an operator and additional outreach to potential property partners were anticipated next steps.
Council unanimously introduced, conducted first reading by title and waived further reading of the ordinance as amended. Staff noted the city attorney had suggested keeping a reference to the Martin v. Boise case in the enforcement section pending a separate, fuller enforcement discussion to be held at a future meeting (Oct. 7) that will consider related code enforcement and homelessness enforcement issues.
Councilmembers and public commenters voiced support for expanding safe-parking options while acknowledging the need to pair licensing with outreach, sanitation and case-management supports so occupants can be connected to housing and services.
Staff will return with implementation details, the request-for-proposals timeline, and a follow-up report after initial licensing or pilot sites are established.
