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Police chief urges Goldendale to revise camping rules after court ruling; council to convene ordinance committee
Summary
Police Chief Mike Smith told the council a recent Ninth Circuit decision supports enforcing bans on overnight camping in public spaces. The council agreed to convene an ordinance committee and to draft permit-based language for event camping.
Police Chief Mike Smith told the Goldendale City Council on July 1 that a recent Ninth Circuit ruling gives the city clearer authority to enforce bans on camping in public areas and urged the council to update local ordinances to reflect that change.
"We now can enforce that," Mike Smith (Police Chief) said, urging a change that would make camping on city property allowable only when expressly permitted by a permit tied to an event. Smith outlined that current practice allows permitted camping for events such as the Bluegrass Festival but said ordinance language should be amended to prevent unauthorized, indefinite camping in parks and other public spaces.
Council members pressed for a quick ordinance-committee meeting to draft enforceable language and for a simple permit form to accompany event permits, making enforcement easier. Mayor (speaker 2) and several council members agreed to set an ordinance-committee meeting next week with the goal of returning proposed changes to the full council in time for the meeting on July 15, though a public hearing may be required before final adoption.
The council discussed operational details: how permits would be issued, possible time windows for event camping (for example, Friday to Monday), and how to make exceptions for specific authorized events. One council member asked whether a private family reunion could obtain a permit for overnight stays; the council said special-event permitting language could address that distinction.
What happens next: Council agreed to assemble an ordinance committee that includes council leadership and Chief Smith to draft language specifying that camping on city property be permitted only by written permit tied to an approved event; the committee will also consider a standardized permitting form to ease enforcement.
Quotes used in this article are taken from the council meeting transcript and attributed to speakers listed in the meeting record.
