Item 5: Ord. Allowing Camping in Tents Where Camping in Vehicles Allowed

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Action: An Ordinance Concerning Permitted Overnight Sleeping and Amending Section 4.816 of the Eugene Code, 1971 Meeting Date: March 12, 2012 Agenda Item Number: 5 Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Michael Wisth www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541/682-5540 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is to consider a permanent amendment following a temporary amendment to Ordinance 4.816. Ordinance 4.816 allows people to sleep overnight in a vehicle, camper or trailer in a parking lot of a religious institution, place of worship, business or public entity that owns or leases property on which a parking lot and occupied structure are located, with permission of the property owner. This temporary amendment from Council Bill 20484 allows tents to be defined as vehicles for the purpose of camping permitted under Ordinance 4.816. Council Bill 20484 is set to sunset on th April 15, 2012. The council may choose to allow the amendment to sunset, extend the amendment, or make the amendment permanent. BACKGROUND Section 4.816 of the Eugene Code, 1971 (EC) provides for the regulation of overnight sleeping. EC 4.816(1)(a) and (c) contains provisions for overnight sleeping in a vehicle, camper, or trailer under certain circumstances and in certain areas. On December 20, 2011, in order to facilitate the transition for Occupy Eugene members, a temporary exception to the provisions contained in EC 4.816(a) and (c) concerning overnight sleeping was granted to allow for overnight sleeping in a tent where overnight sleeping would normally be allowed in a vehicle. The December 20 exception was processed as an emergency response to the termination of the overnight camping exemption at the Occupy Eugene camp at Washington-Jefferson Park, overriding the normal ordinance adoption procedures of Section 28(1) of the Eugene Charter of 2002. The exception to Ordinance 4.816, allowing tents to be defined as vehicles for the purposes of permitted overnight camping was passed unanimously by the City Council on December 20, 2011. Unless extended or made permanent by future council action, this exception to Ordinance 4.816 will sunset on April 15, 2012. Current Status The homeless car camping program managed by St Vincent de Paul provides important insights on the effects of the amendment to Ordinance 4.816. At present, the program manages 22 S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120312\S1203125.doc