Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Camping Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Local nonprofit urges Duval to extend notice and narrow fines in camping ordinance
Summary
At public comment, Reclaim Executive Director Jen Kirk urged the council to limit fines to clear health or property‑damage situations and extend the 24‑hour notice before enforcement to 72 hours to allow outreach and access to services.
Jen Kirk, executive director of Reclaim, used the public comment period on July 7 to urge Duval leaders to adjust a proposed camping ordinance so enforcement is effective, humane and cost‑efficient.
Kirk told council she welcomed the city's outreach and praised staff engagement but said the ordinance’s enforcement design could be improved. She asked that the $250 fine be targeted to situations that pose an immediate public health hazard, significant property damage, or excessive abandoned personal property, rather than applied routinely to people sleeping in parks. "A person sleeping in a public park almost certainly has little to no income...The fine will go unpaid," she said, arguing unpaid fines often produce enforcement and court costs that exceed collected revenue.
Kirk also recommended extending notice before enforcement from 24 to 72 hours for non‑emergencies, so people contacted by officers have realistic time to seek help, reach agencies like 2‑1‑1, or access service providers. She stressed that immediate enforcement should remain available for violent or emergency situations but that a longer notice window for routine outreach would increase chances of a lasting resolution without additional public expense.
Kirk asked the council to include clear language about when fines are warranted and reaffirmed Reclaim’s willingness to partner with the city on implementation.
