Council to explore an Aberdeen-style ordinance on personal property in public places amid complaints about encampment debris

Councilors on May 5 discussed whether to pursue an ordinance that would allow the city to remove and store personal property found in public places without a 72-hour notice (as described by the speaker referencing Aberdeen code 7.29.020). The idea was raised as a response to repeated neighborhood complaints about accumulating debris associated with people sleeping outdoors.

A council member who introduced the item said he was sympathetic to people who are homeless but concerned about the volume of garbage and suggested the Aberdeen code as a model. "I didn't know how I was gonna bring up this discussion... I'm sympathetic to people sleeping outside... What I'm not sympathetic to is how much garbage that it's creating," the council member said and asked staff to investigate the ordinance and bring options to a study session.

Other council members asked practical questions about storage — where belongings would be kept and how long the city would be responsible — and one councilor cautioned that the storage requirement might be cost-prohibitive. Staff indicated they would review the full code section, check how long it has been in place in Aberdeen, and clarify the legal definitions that determine when property is ‘‘excessive’’ or a public nuisance.

Next steps

The council directed staff to research Aberdeen Municipal Code 7.29.020 (cited by the speaker) and to return a fuller package for consideration in a study session. Staff and legal review will clarify evidence handling, notice requirements and potential costs associated with storing removed property.

The council did not adopt any ordinance at the May 5 meeting; the item remains in research and study-session status.