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<br /> <br />ECC <br />UGENE ITY OUNCIL <br />AIS <br />GENDA TEM UMMARY <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Work Session: Homeless Camping in Parks and Open Spaces <br /> <br /> <br />Meeting Date: April 24, 2013 Agenda Item Number: A <br />Department: Public Works Parks and Open Spaces Contact: Mark Schoening <br />www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-4930 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ISSUE STATEMENT <br />This item is in response to council direction to hold a work session to discuss homeless camping in <br />the City’s parks and open spaces. <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Parks and Open Space (POS) Division manages 78 community and neighborhood parks and <br />over 3,000 acres of open space. Many of the open space areas have one or more of the following <br />overlay zones to protect sensitive habitat and water quality – Waterside Protection, Water Quality, <br />Wetland Buffer, and Water Resources Conservation. The POS Division manages the City’s parks <br />and open spaces for the benefit and enjoyment of the community with a focus on keeping parks <br />and open spaces –“Safe, Clean, & Green.” <br /> <br />The City’s parks and open spaces have not been developed to accommodate camping and lack the <br />level of services typically associated with a developed campground – water and wastewater <br />services, garbage pickup, and security. In addition, the financial cost of managing the existing level <br />of camping within parks and open spaces is substantial. <br /> <br />Homeless camps have a significant negative impact to parks and open spaces and require <br />substantial resources to mitigate the impacts. Some of the impacts to the physical environment on <br />parks and open spaces include the accumulation of garbage, human waste, and hazardous waste; <br />degradation of water quality; and destruction of sensitive habitat. Homeless camps also affect the <br />use of parks and open spaces. Certain open space areas and parks have seen a significant decline <br />in use because of the presence of homeless camps. In addition, some volunteer groups are <br />unwilling to work in certain parks and open space areas. <br /> <br />The POS Division goals in managing homeless camps in the City’s parks and open spaces is to <br />assure the safety of park users and City staff, minimize the impacts to parks and open space <br />resources and to preclude the establishment of semi-permanent camps. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130424\S130424A.doc <br />