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Committee backs emergency ordinance draft to bar living in vehicles on public right-of-way
Summary
The Safety and Health Committee directed staff to draft emergency legislation that would prohibit residing in vehicles on public rights-of-way and to ensure the language coexists with the city's existing RV-time limits and 72-hour parking rule.
The Troy Safety and Health Committee on July 27 directed staff to prepare emergency ordinance language that would prohibit persons from living or residing in vehicles, trailers, campers, recreational vehicles, boats and similar equipment on public rights-of-way and to forward the draft to council for urgent consideration.
Patrick explained the need for clearer language, saying the city's current language is vague and staff researched what other communities do to allow clearer enforcement "when it's absolutely necessary." He emphasized the department's existing approach is to refer people to services and supports and not to rely on heavy-handed enforcement: "our policy is and will continue to be that, our 1st responders, particularly, our police officers do everything they can. They do have a list of resources and they, in that case... try to coordinate something with them." He added the proposed ordinance will include a definition of "living" or "residing," which Mr. Kerber will insert into the draft for first reading on Monday.
Jeff Schilling, Troy City Council, asked whether the measure would catch vacationing RV visitors who temporarily use an RV as a sleeping space. Patrick replied the city already enforces an RV ordinance limiting time in place and that the new residency language would be drafted to avoid conflicts: "So the vacationers would essentially be covered under this ordinance?" "Yes... there's only a limited time that somebody can be in an RV. They can't spend a week in the RV, right now even without this legislation." The committee also discussed that 72-hour parking enforcement addresses stationary vehicles and that private property (for example, a Walmart parking lot) is governed by trespass rules and not this proposed residency ordinance.
After discussion, the committee agreed to proceed with emergency legislation and forwarded the item to staff to prepare the ordinance language; no roll-call vote was recorded.
