Grants Pass council approves expansion of downtown resting sites, adds 50‑space employee parking site

The Grants Pass City Council voted 6-1 to maintain two existing downtown resting sites on Sixth and Seventh streets, establish a 50‑space site in the city hall employee parking lot and allow for future expansion into the adjacent OnTrack parking area when that space becomes fully available.

City staff presented an inventory of existing and potential locations during the meeting, estimating roughly 288 possible resting sites across several city‑owned lots if the council designated them. Staff said the list was intended to help the council meet a temporary injunction referenced in the meeting that requires roughly a 150‑site capacity for unmanaged resting locations. Aaron (staff presenter) summarized the sites and conservative capacity estimates at the start of the briefing.

The council’s action came after extended discussion about site size, public‑safety risk, ADA compliance and the administrative work needed to prepare gravel or dirt lots for use. Councilor Joel moved the measure, saying, “I make a motion that we maintain the Seventh And Sixth Street ones that presently exist. We do the Sixth Street expansion, into on track, and, we convert the employee parking, in the 50 spots there.” Rob seconded the motion. The recorded vote was: Seth — yes; Kathleen — yes; Eric — yes; Rick — no; Rob — yes; Joel — yes; Victoria — yes. The motion passed.

Staff gave council a breakdown of specific locations and conservative capacity estimates cited in the presentation: the existing sites at Sixth Street (about 55 sites) and Seventh Street (about 44 sites); a potential 24 sites in the small OnTrack parking lot adjacent to the current site; roughly 88 sites at a Midland property; about 55–60 at 601 Southeast I Street (a gravel lot next to Public Works); 17 at 850 East Park Street; and a range of capacities across city parking lots (for example, the Frog Lot ~30, a lot labeled “Grasshopper” ~17, and others). Aaron said portions of some sites would require paving or decomposed granite compaction to meet Oregon ADA surface standards before use.

Public‑safety concerns and site configuration drove much of the debate. The police chief, speaking during the meeting, warned that very large, consolidated sites can create behavioral and criminal‑activity problems; the chief said a number of incidents occurred at a prior large site, including a reported incident in which “one guy pulled out a gun.” Multiple councilors and the chief said smaller, separate sites can be easier to manage and reduce concentrated neighborhood impacts. Joel and other councilors argued for placing additional sites near the city’s existing two sites to concentrate management and policing resources; other councilors favored creating several smaller, dispersed sites, including consideration of the Midland parcel with reduced initial capacity.

Councilor Indra Nicholas, in a written statement read into the record, opposed designating any additional resting sites. Her statement said in part: “I am not in favor of designating any more sites for the homeless. Number 1, these unmanaged sites are harmful to both the occupants therein and the residents and businesses surrounding such areas as we as we witnessed these past many months. Number 2, we are spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars and creating liability concerns for the city.” The statement was entered on the public record during the meeting.

On implementation, staff recommended proceeding with the employee parking lot conversion immediately and treating expansion into the north OnTrack parking area as a later step once building access and lease issues are resolved. Aaron confirmed at the end of the meeting that staff had “full direction and clear direction” to move forward with the approved plan. Council asked staff to coordinate site layout, fencing, ADA‑accessible porta‑potties, dumpsters and other logistical details with public safety and other departments.

The council’s action addresses unmanaged resting locations only; participants noted that separate proposals for managed campgrounds by nonprofit groups remain under discussion and are not part of the motion. The council did not set a specific implementation timeline in the motion; staff will return with details and updates as they complete site preparations and as access to the OnTrack parking area becomes available.