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Astoria council pauses designated campsite plan, opts to pursue ordinance amendments and outreach pilot
Summary
After extensive discussion, councilors paused immediate pursuit of a designated campsite and directed staff to draft amendments to the camping ordinance, pursue limited permitted camping pilots, develop outreach staffing and storage options, and pursue county coordination and a real‑time shelter inventory; an ad hoc work session was scheduled for May 12.
Astoria City Councilors on April 27 opted to pause immediate efforts to establish a formally designated campsite and instead directed staff to prioritize amendments to the city’s camping ordinance and explore complementary steps including limited permitted camping pilots, a community outreach specialist, dry storage solutions and stronger coordination with county shelter providers.
Councilors described mixed public sentiment and limited trust in any single siting decision. "I think the part that a lot of continues to be said but not heard is that the… desire… to support designated camping area is that that creates the opportunity for anywhere that isn't that specific area for there to be the same enforcement," Councilor Mozzarella said, arguing for pilot permitted sites paired with outreach. Several council members stressed that enforcement must be tethered to available shelter resources and that an integrated, countywide bed inventory and coordinated entry system is a prerequisite to meaningful enforcement. Staff and the police chief emphasized the legal limits and said the ordinance work should include enforcement options that comply with state law, noting criminal trespass may be an enforcement mechanism when shelter options are available but not used.
Council gave staff direction to draft ordinance amendments focusing on time, place and manner rules, outline how a limited permitted program might work, pursue a dedicated outreach resource (either city‑hired or a paid partner) and research decentralized dry storage for people’s belongings. Council scheduled an ad hoc work session for May 12 at 6 p.m. to develop concrete proposals and requested police and legal staff be present at that meeting. The council also discussed the Sunday Market/Exchange Street corridor and directed staff to use existing ordinance authority to manage camping around events as needed, with the police department planning 72‑hour notices for affected sites.
