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Wylie council adds camping and median rules; emphasizes outreach to unhoused residents
Summary
Council approved a new ordinance banning camping in undesignated public places and adding a prohibition on standing on narrow medians while also adding exceptions and outreach steps for people who may need assistance.
The Wylie City Council voted 6-0 on March 25 to add a new ordinance prohibiting camping in public places not designated as campsites and to forbid standing, sitting or loitering on roadway medians less than 8 feet wide, with enumerated exceptions and an emphasis on connecting people to services.
City attorney/assistant Miss Allen summarized the ordinance as defining "camping" (storing personal belongings, using tents or vehicles as living accommodations, making fires, cooking, digging) and defining "public places" (city-owned or controlled facilities, parks, rights-of-way and the municipal complex). The draft also included exceptions — for example, when someone is lawfully crossing a roadway or rendering aid to an incapacitated person — and a repeat-offender provision.
Council members asked staff how enforcement would be handled for people experiencing homelessness. Miss Allen and city staff explained outreach and assistance are the first steps: Wiley police and community partners, including the nonprofit "Hope For The Cities" and a city mental health coordinator, would attempt to connect individuals to services before issuing citations. Councilman Scott Williams and others stressed the ordinance is intended primarily as a public-safety measure, not a punitive action against people in need.
Resident Joel Walters spoke during the public hearing to ask about implementation, enforcement and whether the city would pair enforcement with outreach. In response, staff confirmed the city would coordinate with social-service partners and that aggressive solicitation and related offenses remain covered by other city codes.
Councilman Forrester moved to approve the ordinance as presented; Councilman Scott Williams seconded. The motion carried 6-0. The ordinance appears in the meeting packet as Ordinance No. 2025-13, which includes a maximum fine of $500 for violations and a provision extending enforcement up to 5,000 feet beyond the city limits for certain provisions.
