Buckley staff propose broad camping ban in parks, limit vehicle habitation to 12 hours per month

City Administrator presented the third review of a draft camping ordinance that would ban camping and the storage of personal property in parks, streets and other public spaces, and would limit vehicle habitation in those public spaces to a maximum of 12 hours per calendar month. The draft is modeled on Kelso’s ordinance but is described by staff as a strong prohibition intended to balance sanitation, welfare and public safety.

Staff acknowledged the enforcement limits set by recent high-court rulings and said the ordinance would be used in extreme or recurring cases rather than as a general daily enforcement tool. For vehicle habitation, staff described a marking-and-documentation process using license plates and duty-officer logs to establish repeated or extended presence; the purpose, staff said, is to prevent recurring or de facto residency on public property, while allowing short-term stops by visitors.

Council members asked for clarification on whether the 12-hour limit was per visit or total monthly allowance; staff confirmed the draft’s intention is 12 hours total within a calendar month in public parks and right-of-way. Staff said the draft may be tested and refined as implemented, and that the city would bring the ordinance back for adoption consideration following any legal updates and feedback.