Tumwater City Council pulled back an ordinance allowing overnight stays in public parks and other city properties from its agenda on Tuesday, November 21.
The ordinance is primarily about modifying Tumwater Municipal Code Chapter 12.32 to apply park rules to all city properties, but it also adds a new section allowing people that are indigent or homeless to stay in city properties overnight. It does this by suspending section 12.32.020(F) which prohibits nighttime loitering in city parks and properties.
“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 section stated.
The proposed ordinance was supposedly part of the council’s consent agenda, a list of considerations that would have all been approved without further discussion, as the city’s General Government Committee already recommended its approval on November 8.
Twelve people commented publicly about the ordinance before the city council revised its consent agenda. All of them either strongly opposed or expressed caution about the ordinance, citing safety concerns. Several shared personal anecdotes about how they felt unsafe or were even harassed by people living in homeless encampments.
A few also believed that making parks available for people experiencing homelessness would not solve their problems and that the city needs to invest in more housing.
“It's not meeting a need for them. It's just saying now you can sleep over here,” said resident Arden Wryt, who shared that they alsowent through homelessness. “That's still not giving them supportive services. It is still not giving them housing. It's still not giving them a place to go to the bathroom… It's pushing the problem off to the local residents who have to now deal with this.”
James, a Tumwater resident, remarked that if the city allows for overnight encampments in city properties, the city will also have to spend on additional costs to ensure safety and maintain the cleanliness of public facilities.
“There are some issues that need to be addressed such as the safety of the people who are in camping… that's going to require additional manpower,” James said.
“There are other economic issues involved. These large encampments end up being more trashed. The bathroom [and] sanitary facilities are gonna be overwhelmed so they’re gonna have to be cleaned and restocked more often. So how is that being addressed?” James added.
A nurse practitioner named Robin also asked if the council considered which parks would be affected by the ordinance as there are schools near parks.
“Our elementary schools are surrounded by these parks. It's where our kids play… How safe are our parents going to feel letting our kids play there?” Robin asked.
Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sulivan told the council that she has not spoken with staff when the ordinance will return to the council, but Councilmember Charlie Schneider suggested to discuss the issue after the holiday season to allow for more public participation.
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mathisje
The council needs to explain why they propose enacting this rule change without relying on specious statements about improving life for the homeless. What state law or court decision mandated opening City lands for 'camping' 24hrs a day? If so, does the law really say what the City thinks it says (they've gotten that wrong in the past)? Whatever the driver(s), what other options were considered and why were they dismissed. What additional resources were allotted for police and cleanup? What City lands are exempt? City hall? Police & fire? Storm water tracts? Brewery land? Did the council really think this through? There needs to be accountability and the citizens of Tumwater deserve a compelling explanation before the rule change is enacted.
Thursday, November 23, 2023 Report this
JW
The city is under no obligation to "improve life for the homeless" nor do I want a dime of my taxpayer money going to criminals and *** offenders that are enabled to live as "homeless" because of the deluge of free services handed out.
Saturday, November 25, 2023 Report this
OneToughBroad
This is not a 24 hour free for all camping on pubic lands. It would give homeless, such as myself(living in my car) a safe place to sleep for the night. I do agree that they need to be much more specific in the wording.... But trust, that having a place I can sleep, where the cops aren't gonna mess with me or where I will risky be awakened and be threatened if I don't leave immediately, is a luxury that I fight to find every night.
Saturday, December 2, 2023 Report this