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Ontario council adopts expanded code regulating drones, camping and trespass despite concerns it will criminalize homelessness
Summary
The City Council adopted ordinances adding a new chapter regulating unmanned aircraft systems and expanding rules on parking, camping, storage and trespassing; residents split between support for enforcement and calls for a public hearing and more housing and services for unhoused people.
The Ontario City Council voted 5-0 to adopt ordinances that create a new municipal chapter regulating unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and make amendments related to parking violations, camping and storage rules, trespassing enforcement and airport rules.
Supporters at the meeting said the expanded code will give the Ontario Police Department clearer authority to address illegal encampments and public-safety concerns. "We need that law and order here," said Kizzy during the two-minute comment period, urging council members to pass the measure.
Opponents and some residents urged more caution. Karen May asked that the council pull the item for a full public hearing because the code change expands from one page to seven and, she said, risks criminalizing poverty: "We want to reject harmful solutions that criminalize and punish unhoused people for simply existing," she said. William Torres said he had observed drones hovering over houses of worship and worried the rules would disproportionately affect vulnerable residents.
City staff and the manager provided context for the council’s vote. The City Manager said a related public hearing had been held at a previous meeting and described a separate initiative to provide services: the city recently acquired property on West Mission Boulevard for about $9,000,000 to develop a wellness campus ultimately planned to include 132 beds; Phase 1 will provide 32 beds and is expected to open this fall. The manager also referenced a contractor (Simba Center) and an annual contract figure of about $2,100,000 for operations and an expanded five-person outreach team working with county and OPD partners.
The vote and next steps: The transcript records the item’s adoption by a 5-0 vote; the council did not reopen the ordinance for additional public hearing at this meeting. Several speakers said the city should pair enforcement with housing and wraparound services; Karen May specifically asked for more permanent affordable housing solutions rather than enforcement-only approaches.
The ordinance text, as adopted, addresses drone use, camping and storage regulations and trespass enforcement; the council moved to enact the changes as presented on the second reading.
