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Goodyear staff seek council feedback on draft urban camping ordinance
Summary
City staff presented a draft ordinance defining and limiting camping on city property, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gives cities more room to restrict urban camping; council members broadly supported a services-first approach while asking for details on signage, jurisdictional limits and diversion options.
City staff on Nov. 4 asked the Goodyear City Council for feedback on a draft amendment to the municipal code that would prohibit unauthorized camping on city property and set enforcement rules for ‘‘urban camping.’’ Jenna Goad, assistant to the city manager, opened the presentation and said staff coordinated the proposal with parks and recreation, neighborhood services, the prosecutor's office, city court, legal services and the police department.
The draft, presented by Brian Izzett of the police department, defines camping as using real property for living accommodations — including tents, shelters, storage of personal belongings, preparing to sleep, cooking and digging — when it reasonably appears the site is being used for living purposes. The ordinance would bar camping on city-owned buildings, parking lots and other public property unless an area is expressly designated as a permanent campsite. It would also prohibit camping within 500 feet of a school, childcare facility, shelter or park. Exemptions include authorized permits or reservations, special events and parking-lot camping at city-owned stadiums for 12 hours or less.
Izzett said the city’s Homeless Outreach Team (two officers and a shared sergeant), supplemented by a contract with Phoenix Rescue Mission for street outreach, will continue to lead with resources and outreach. He told council the most recent point-in-time count at the start of 2024 found 30 unsheltered individuals in Goodyear, up from 22 in 2023.
The draft ties enforcement to recent federal case law. Staff cited the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Johnson v. Grants Pass as creating an opportunity for cities to enact more restrictions than were allowed under earlier rulings such as Martin v. Boise. Under the proposed local code, violations would be a class 1 misdemeanor; before issuing a citation, staff said an individual would generally need a prior warning within the previous 12 calendar months and posted signage at the location. As alternatives to incarceration, the ordinance allows the court to sentence community restitution or order education.
Council members praised the services-first emphasis and pressed for operational details. Vice Mayor Cano and others asked about signage plans and whether the city can post notices on specific parcels (staff said they would target signage to problem areas on city-owned property and research ownership questions where jurisdiction is unclear). Councilmembers asked staff to confirm who owns certain riverbed or wash parcels before enforcement and to ensure outreach partners are contracted for sufficient case-management capacity.
Councilmember Loitano and others urged continued business and community outreach so employees and residents know how to contact the Homeless Outreach Team. Several members requested the prosecutor’s office consider a diversion program so first-time offenders could receive services rather than jail time.
Next steps: staff said they are seeking council feedback and, if council wishes to proceed, will return the ordinance for formal adoption on Nov. 18. The presentation and discussion focused on the draft’s definitions, exemptions, signage and training for correct enforcement; no final action was taken at the work session.
