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Council holds first reading of ordinance restricting unauthorized camping on public property
Summary
Council held the first reading of Ordinance C-1095 to prohibit unauthorized camping on public property, with a police briefing on definitions, removal procedures and connections to community and therapeutic courts; staff will review insurance-verbiage questions before the next session.
The council conducted a first reading of Ordinance C-1095, which would create a new Airway Heights Municipal Code chapter to prohibit unauthorized camping on public property and establish procedures for removal and penalties. Police Chief Brad Richmond briefed council on the ordinance's scope, saying it defines camping and camping materials, identifies prohibited locations such as sidewalks and doorways, and describes procedures for removing occupied and unoccupied campsites.
"Basically, the ordinance defines camping and camping materials, prohibits sleeping on sidewalk streets, alleys, and doorways, prohibits camping on city property, procedures on removing campsites occupied and unoccupied...and then the penalties associated with that, which will go through our community court and our therapeutic courts to try to help those people in need," Chief Richmond said. A council member raised questions about duplicate insurance language in sections 8.09.0.040 and 8.09.0.030; staff said they would check the wording and report back at the next study session or legislative session. No vote was taken; the ordinance will return for further review and a later reading.
