Homewood council adopts ordinance restricting camping, sleeping on city property

The Homewood City Council on Oct. 13 approved an ordinance that restricts camping and sleeping on city-owned property, establishes a permit requirement for authorized temporary camping, and makes violations misdemeanors, the council said.

The ordinance, passed unanimously, was described by Mike Kendrick, Homewood city attorney, during the council’s second reading as an order “to regulate, restrict, and prohibit certain uses and activities on public property located in the city of Homewood, Alabama.” Kendrick read provisions that make it unlawful to camp or sleep on public property without a permit, require a 24-hour pre‑removal notice before city crews may remove a campsite, and treat property left after that notice as abandoned.

The measure sets standards the authorizing authority must consider when issuing a permit, including provision of adequate sanitary facilities and trash collection, that the activity not unreasonably disturb the public or adjacent property, and that the activity serve the public interest. The ordinance also prohibits lying down or sleeping on public property and restricts sleeping in vehicles on public property except where expressly permitted.

Councilor Waltney reported the public safety committee recommended the ordinance and said the committee vote was 4–0 in favor. After discussion on the council floor, Mayor Alex Wyatt said the intent of the ordinance is to address camping and sleeping in vehicles rather than to become a general parking ordinance: "I think the ordinance as it's written and with the discussion about it, that the intent of it has been made clear," Wyatt said.

At least one council member questioned language in Section 5 that refers to parked vehicles, asking whether the phrase "park or permit to be parked" should be struck to avoid unintended application to routine parking in rights of way. The mayor and other councilors responded they expected enforcement to focus on camping/sleeping and that any enforcement problems could be addressed by subsequent amendment: enforcement "can always be amended" if administration or police report problems, the mayor said.

The ordinance requires that the Homewood Police Department issue an oral or written warning before arrest for a violation, mandates that campsite signage be posted prior to removal, and authorizes police to deem personal property abandoned and confiscate it if left after the removal notice expires. The ordinance designates violations as a nuisance and a misdemeanor punishable under the city code.

The council adopted the ordinance by an 8–0 roll call vote. The council recorded the measure as ordinance number 2955 and made it effective immediately upon adoption.

The ordinance will affect how the city handles encampments and sleeping on public property, including rights-of-way and stormwater facilities identified in the ordinance. City officials said they expect to monitor enforcement; staff and council members noted amendments could be proposed if the city’s administration or police identify problems during implementation.