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Carbondale residents urge council to reject proposed public-camping ordinance; council extends comment period
Summary
At a special morning meeting, dozens of Carbondale residents and service providers urged the City Council to oppose a draft ordinance that would declare public camping a nuisance. Council extended public comment and discussed alternatives such as Housing First, storage, and coordinated services.
Carbondale’s City Council opened a special May meeting dominated by public comment over a proposed ordinance that would regulate camping on public property and declare most unsanctioned encampments a nuisance.
The council paused formal action and instead extended the public-comment period after repeated appeals from residents and service providers who said the draft ordinance would punish people without housing rather than address root causes. ‘‘This ordinance suggests that they are to disappear,’’ said Victor Ludwig, a neighbor and speaker, warning that steep daily fines in the ordinance would create crushing debt for people already living outdoors.
The proposed ordinance — introduced by staff as Item 3.2 — declares public camping a nuisance except where the council specifically authorizes camping…
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