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Tempe hears heated public testimony as council introduces nuisance-code amendment tied to repeated private distributions
Summary
The city attorney proposed adding a codified nuisance definition to let Tempe enforce recurring private distributions that are tied to criminal activity and substantially interfere with neighboring properties; residents near Daly Park urged action while mutual-aid groups and legal critics warned the language is broad and risks criminalizing charitable aid. A second hearing is set for May 14.
The City Attorney explained a proposed amendment to Tempe’s nuisance code that would add a narrowly worded definition to address recurring private-property activities that spill over and generate crime or repeated public-offense conditions in adjacent neighborhoods.
Under the proposed text, three conjunctive elements would need to be proven for a nuisance finding: a regularly occurring distribution of food, goods or merchandise on private property; a demonstrable tie between that distribution and criminal or other public-offense activity in the neighboring area; and a showing that those off-site effects substantially interfere with the use…
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