The Tumwater General Government Committee recommended to its city council on Wednesday, November 8, to approve an ordinance amending the city’s municipal code to apply park rules in all city properties.
Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Denney explained that it made sense to expand the coverage of park rules as the Parks and Recreation Department not only maintains grounds for city parks but also for city properties.
“It creates a more even playing field for the public,” Denney said. “There's no confusion when [someone is] in a park or on the grounds of the library. The rules will be the same everywhere.”
The amendment does not largely change any of the current rules, but adds language to indicate that the regulations apply to all city properties.
A full list of the rules is available in Tumwater Municipal Code section 12.32.020. Denney mentioned some of the rules to the committee, including those related to building fires, riding horses, vandalism, overnight parking, wildlife, use of drones, alcohol, and several more.
The ordinance also seeks to include a new section in Chapter 12.32 to suspend the enforcement of 12.32.020(F), which prohibits loitering in city parks and properties between sundown and sunrise unless permitted for certain events. This sub-section is being suspended to allow leniency for those who are indigent or are experiencing homelessness.
“Enforcement of TMC 12.32.020(F) nighttime exclusion shall be suspended for persons who are indigent and homeless any time there is no space or beds available in reasonably accessible homeless shelters, to the extent such available space is required by law,” the new section reads.
During the same meeting, the committee also recommended the approval of an amendment extending an interlocal agreement between the city and Port of Olympia to develop the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
The agreement was forged in 2016 and in its current form, would end on December 31 this year. The proposed amendment pushes the agreement's expiration to the end of 2025. Nothing else in the agreement would be changed with the amendment.
The HCP is a planning document required by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to develop areas where species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) occur.
Both the ordinance and the amendment to the interlocal agreement will be included in the consent agenda of the city council’s November 21 meeting.
7 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
Southsoundguy
Who cares about the US Fish and Wildlife Service?
Friday, November 10, 2023 Report this
FordPrefect
Here is the real headline::
TUMWATER COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PARKS BE CONVERTED TO HOMELESS CAMPS - ALL CITY PROPERTIES TO BE CONSIDERED PARKS
“Enforcement of TMC 12.32.020(F) nighttime exclusion shall be suspended for persons who are indigent and homeless any time there is no space or beds available in reasonably accessible homeless shelters, to the extent such available space is required by law,”
We are going to make every city property the free rein of homeless drug-addicts. Where does the city council get off making decisions like this? This needs to be a public vote. Nobody in this town wants this to happen.
Saturday, November 11, 2023 Report this
FordPrefect
Correction: ‘reign’
Nobody wins when cities allow this behavior, especially the homeless.
Saturday, November 11, 2023 Report this
Kruz81
They are out of their minds. This is nothing but dangerous and will not end well.
Saturday, November 18, 2023 Report this
DianaM
I notified my HOA about this article. My HOA sent out a blast email to all our homeowners. Our HOA then contacted our neighboring HOAs and neighbors. We just learned that this item has been pulled from tomorrow’s agenda. I have no doubt that Chuck Denney and the council will try to pass these changes to the Municipal Code again. JOLT thank you for keeping the citizens of Tumwater informed of the irresponsible antics of our city council. Keep up the good work!
Monday, November 20, 2023 Report this
BobJ75
This is nothing but an attempt to destroy our parks and neighborhoods. Denney should be fired along with anyone else supporting this.
If he wants this so bad and thinks it’s a great idea why not open his lawn up to the homeless first? Then he can show us his new model.
I really can’t understand what planet these people are from.
Monday, November 20, 2023 Report this
52237123abc
The Tumwater city council never listens to its voters. They have an agenda to cut down trees and build warehouses and are in the pocket of the port. Their publicity is dishonest….promoting projects their residents don’t want.
Too bad a couple of the council members ran unopposed as they’d be gone if we had a choice.
Tuesday, November 21, 2023 Report this