Ashwaubenon board declines villagewide camping ban after hours of public comment; directs staff to convene regional providers
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Summary
The Village Board voted to deny an ordinance that would have banned camping or taking habitation on all village property, citing public safety and access concerns; trustees directed staff to convene Brown County service providers and the Greater Green Bay Blueprint to explore coordinated, nonpunitive responses to unsheltered homelessness.
The Village Board of Ashwaubenon voted Oct. 28 to deny a proposed ordinance that would have criminalized camping or taking habitation on village‑owned property outside designated camping areas, and asked staff to work with regional homelessness providers to develop alternatives.
"This ordinance is not going to solve homelessness," Joel, the village manager, told the board during the ordinance presentation, which emphasized safety, sanitation and emergency‑access risks when encampments form in non‑designated public spaces. Joel framed the draft as an effort to preserve safe public access and protect infrastructure.
But the public comment period — limited to three minutes per speaker after a board motion to open the floor — drew multiple residents and service providers who warned that the ordinance would displace people and could criminalize poverty. "This kind of ordinance doesn't make homelessness go away. It just makes it harder for people to live and survive," said Samantha Musil, who identified herself as a local organizer providing free food and outreach. Volunteer groups and representatives from the Greater Green Bay Blueprint and the Brown County Housing and Homeless Coalition urged denial and recommended a regional, coordinated approach instead of a code‑based ban.
Police Chief Roland described how officers respond to encampments, stressing discretion and outreach: "We're not there to arrest somebody, to cite somebody. But there, what can we do to help?" He also said officers participate in coalition meetings and maintain a list of regional providers to which they can refer people in need.
Discussion among trustees balanced concerns about resident safety and park access against fears of punishing people experiencing homelessness. Several trustees noted the issue is regional in scope and that staff should inventory existing shelter and service capacity before enacting new penalties. A motion to deny the ordinance — amended to direct staff to convene the Brown County coalition, the Greater Green Bay Blueprint and other providers for a regional meeting in Ashwaubenon — passed unanimously.
Next steps: The board directed staff to organize a regional convening with service providers and stakeholders, gather data on shelter capacity and outreach resources, and return with recommendations before proposing any further code changes.
