Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board reopens discussion of camping ordinance as directors weigh enforcement against services
Summary
The board revisited a draft no‑camping ordinance modeled on Grants Pass (OR). City attorney and police officials said Arkansas statutes and nuisance codes already provide enforcement options, while several directors and service providers urged service‑first approaches and flagged shelter capacity, jail crowding, and new arrivals from other jurisdictions.
City staff presented a revised draft ordinance that would restrict camping on public property, prompting a broad board debate about enforcement, services and legal authority. Administrator Dingman said the draft was modeled on Grants Pass and returned for discussion after a December 2024 defeat of a previous version.
City attorney Colby Rose reviewed the legal landscape, noting state statutes that can apply when conduct "obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic." "There's a statute that concerns disorderly conduct... if an individual engaged in such that they can be guilty of the offense of disorderly conduct if they obstruct vehicular or pedestrian traffic," Colby told the board, adding loitering and obstruction statutes may also apply depending on facts.
Police Chief Baker said officers and code enforcement currently use a mix of tools but that enforcement is constrained by jail overcrowding and the cyclical nature of the unsheltered population. "The jail stays full with homeless folks," he said, and added that zero‑tolerance relocations can move problems to other parts of the city rather than solve them. Chief Baker also said many people officers contact are from other places and noted instances where law enforcement in other jurisdictions or facilities had brought people to Fort Smith.
Several directors urged a service‑first strategy: expand outreach, make better use of ESG and bus‑ticket reunification funds, and partner with local shelters and nonprofits. Sharon Chapman of Hope Campus — who later spoke in the citizens forum — said the community already operates street outreach and bus‑ticket reunification programs and suggested the city consider a designated camping area close to services so that enforcement does not leave people with no options.
Directors were divided: some argued the city needs additional enforcement tools to protect downtown businesses and visitors, while others warned that criminalizing camping without sufficient shelter beds and wraparound services will merely penalize people who need help. Staff did not present a final ordinance for vote; the item remained a discussion topic with requests for more information about shelter capacity, funding and operational consequences.
