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Needles council adopts ordinance restricting unauthorized camping on public property; one member dissents
Summary
The council adopted Ordinance 675-AC to prohibit unauthorized camping and associated paraphernalia on public property, with staff emphasizing outreach and storage procedures for property; the measure passed with one no vote amid public concern over criminalizing homelessness.
The City of Needles adopted Ordinance 675-AC (adding Chapter 11A to the municipal code) to regulate and prohibit unauthorized camping, storage of camp paraphernalia, and related activity on public property. The ordinance passed after a council vote in which Council member Long voted no and the remaining members voted in favor.
City staff framed the ordinance as aligning with recent court guidance and state direction, saying it "enables enforcement with clear definition of procedures and legal safeguards" and that it seeks to protect public asset access, sanitation, and safety. Staff recommended replacing references to "police chief" with "city manager" in the draft because the city currently has no police chief and explained the city manager would oversee impound and property-storage authority under the ordinance.
Code enforcement described the field approach the city uses: officers make initial contact, ask whether the person will accept services and referrals, and coordinate with nonprofit partners such as Firehouse Ministries and regional providers. Code enforcement said some people accept assistance while others decline; the officer emphasized case-by-case handling.
On handling personal property, staff said the city will catalog and store impounded items for 90 days in compliance with state chain-of-custody requirements and attempt to avoid past errors in custody and return of belongings. A code-enforcement officer told the council about prior incidents where property was treated informally and said the ordinance clarifies storage and procedures to avoid those outcomes.
Public commenters expressed concern that the measure could effectively criminalize homelessness, asking "If it's not illegal to be homeless, why are we making it illegal to camp?" Staff and code enforcement responded that the ordinance targets public-health nuisances (urine, feces, trash, unsanitary conditions) and trespass and that outreach and referral are part of routine practice.
The council voted to adopt the ordinance (the staff report and ordinance were labeled 675-AC in the record; during the meeting a member referenced "ordinance 758" when making the motion; staff later confirmed the draft before the council was 675-AC). The ordinance is now adopted; staff said they will coordinate enforcement with the sheriff's department and social-service partners and provide the council with implementation details.
