Under a court-imposed deadline, the Grants Pass City Council last night selected two locations in the downtown area for temporary campsites for unhoused people.
In a 6-to-1 vote, the City Council approved a resolution adopting 712 NE 7th Street and the lot at the corner of 6th and A streets as allowable locations for public camping. Campers will be allowed to stay at each site for 96 hours with no time restrictions. Council President Victoria Marshall cast the lone dissenting vote.
The vote came after a lengthy and sometimes contentious debate between Council members as well as public testimony that made it clear that the other sites under consideration were unacceptable. A biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife testified about the harmful effects on fish in Skunk Creek if the site at 601 SE I Street was selected. A man who represents a homeowners association on East Park Street hinted of a lawsuit if the Parkway Fire Station site was selected.
The resolution approved by the Council must convince Josephine County Circuit Court Judge Brandon S. Thueson that the City is creating additional time and places for homeless camping. Earlier this week, Thueson extended a 14-day restraining order against enforcing public camping restrictions until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 27th.
Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic and Mayor Clint Scherf advised the Council that if the resolution is not acceptable to the judge, he could make the restraining order an injunction that would run the duration of the current lawsuit: possibly two or three years without any regulations on public camping.
In other business, the City Council appointed Seth Benham to replace former Council member Dwayne Yunker in Ward 3. They also appointed conservative right-wing activist Mike Pelfrey along with Christina Schloegl -- the wife of Councilor Erich Schloegl -- to the Budget Committee.
