The Grants Pass City Council has taken steps to move homeless people out of city parks and onto four designated city-owned locations.
The City Council last night unanimously repealed parts of the Municipal Code while amending others dealing with camping in parks, criminal trespass on city property, prohibited camping, removal of campsites on public property and other sections pertaining to the unhoused population camping in city parks.
The Council then passed a resolution adopting allowable locations for camping on public property. The four sites that were approved include the southwest corner of Riverside Park away from the Rogue River, East Park Street property behind the Parkway Fire Station, the vacant lot at NW 6th and A streets and land next to the new water treatment plant.
Five sites were initially identified that included a lot next to the Grants Pass Police Department off NE 7th Street and the grassy area at the Hillcrest Fire Station. The Hillcrest Fire Station area was determined to be important to training, so it was eliminated. The 6th and A location is temporary pending the demolition of a building on the lot next to the police station. Upon the completion of the demolition, that location would replace the 6th and A site.
The City's insurance will cover the camping locations at a premium of $5,000 annually per site. The addition of porta-potties, handwashing stations, dumpsters, fencing and two security trailer cameras bring the annual cost to $250,698.
The ordinance and the resolution will both go in effect as soon as Mayor Sara Bristol signs the paperwork. However, they won't be enforced until the restraining order from the 9th Circuit Court is lifted.
