Parlier to step up removals, outreach at large encampment south of Manning after fires and overdose

Parlier police and council members said Thursday that a large unsheltered encampment on Zedekor south of Manning has prompted repeated outreach, 72-hour vacate notices and a coordinated plan with Fresno County to clear the site within weeks if occupants refuse services.

Chief (Parlier Police Department) told the City Council during public comment and a staff presentation that officers and county outreach teams have documented safety hazards at the site, including two fires in eight months and at least one overdose. “You have this is private property. You got 72 hours to vacate,” the chief said, describing the written notices delivered to most occupants.

City officials said the situation matters for public safety and public health because fires, trespassing and drug use have put both residents and the unsheltered population at risk. The council’s public discussion included repeated calls from residents for faster action, and questions about where people will go if removed.

The chief described a multiagency response: Parlier police are working with the Fresno County homeless program and Kingsview outreach teams using the MapPointe multi‑agency mapping and services tool. Outreach teams reportedly contacted “over a dozen individuals” during recent visits, and one person accepted shelter or services during that outreach. Officers said they have identified roughly 80% of people in the encampment and issued initial 72‑hour warnings; a second, stricter notice is planned before any enforcement action.

Asked about timing, the chief said the second notices would go out next week and that the city is aiming to complete a coordinated operation with the sheriff’s homeless task force and CHP within about four weeks. “If they don’t vacate the property, you will be subject to trespassing,” the chief said, adding enforcement could include arrests and citations as a last resort.

Council members and residents pressed for additional steps: more frequent enforcement to prevent the camp from reestablishing, improved perimeter security on city‑owned basins (including replacing compromised chain‑link fencing), and continued patrols after any removal. A resident asked whether barbed wire could be added to fences; city staff said they would consult legal counsel and insurance about liability.

Officials emphasized humanitarian elements of the approach: outreach teams have offered transportation, bus tickets, mental‑health and substance‑use services, help obtaining identification, and temporary shelter. The chief said the county team will continue returning and that staff will document outreach efforts before escalating to enforcement, in part because of past legal constraints that previously required a guaranteed bed before displacement. The chief said a court ruling that had constrained local action was overturned this year, allowing more assertive enforcement where safety concerns are documented.

Several residents described daily impacts — trespass, theft, trash and fires near private property — and told the council the encampment appeared to be growing with occupants arriving from surrounding communities. Council members said they want regular updates and asked staff to return to the council with a status report in about four weeks.

The council did not take a formal vote on the encampment during the meeting; staff described this as an operational plan and said a follow‑up report would appear at the next meeting.