The Grants Pass City Council last night reaffirmed the right of police to enforce rules for two designated public campsites related to proper spacing.
All eight City Council members were in attendance, but Mayor Sara Bristol was absent so Council President Vanessa Ogier led the meeting.
The Council voted 8-0 to approve an ordinance amending Grants Pass Municipal Code pertaining to the utilization of open city park space for the sites at SE J Street and the corner of 6th & A streets, and declaring an emergency. The emergency declaration was made to ensure the new ordinance went into effect immediately.
City Manager Aaron Cubic stated that the ordinance is a clarification of the Grants Pass Police Department's authority to ensure proper spacing of tents at the new sites now that the unhoused population has been removed from city parks. Tents can occupy a space no larger than 8-by-8-feet and campsites must be at least six feet away from each other.
Some members of the Council expressed concern that the 6th & A site will not be large enough to accommodate the number of campers who will move there after a one-week stay at SE J. However, GPPD Chief Warren Hensman said his officers will be using discretion while enforcing the same rules as in the parks. He added that not all campers will be moving at the same time.
In other business, the City Council approved an appeal of system development charges associated with a new RV park on NE Greenfield Road. The Greenfield RV Resort was facing a one-time SDC payment of more than $242,000 for sewer service, but the panel voted 6-2 to reduce the amount by over $72,000 based on a 50% reduction in the number of fixtures per unit for recreational vehicles.
The Council also approved two ordinances amending the Comprehensive Plan Map zoning for a property at the corner of NE Agness Avenue and F Street from Industrial to General Commercial. A development is proposed for the two-lot site.
