(a) Except as may be permitted within municipal parks by the Parks and Recreation Director or the Service Director, or his or her designee, or as otherwise provided in division (c) of this section, it is unlawful to camp upon any public property owned by the City, including, without limitation, streets, sidewalks, easements, parks, parking lots, public grounds or rights-of-way.
(b) As used in this section, “camp” means setting up, remaining in, or at the property for the purpose of, without limitation, sleeping, making preparation to sleep, storing personal property, and/or performing cooking activities for habitation purposes.
(c) This section shall not apply to persons who meet all of the following criteria:
(1) Have no alternative lodging available to them, and are otherwise homeless; and
(2) Have insufficient resources to secure alternative lodging; and
(3) Are unable to secure free services, such as shelters, within a reasonable proximity to the City, and/or hotel/motel vouchers which are or have been made available.
(d) Whoever violates this section is guilty of illegal public camping. Except as otherwise provided, illegal public camping is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, illegal public camping, then the violation is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. 37-2024. Passed 5-20-24.)