Emporia City Commissioners have enacted a new policy that will make “unlawful camping” in a public space a misdemeanor crime.
The ordinance will establish a new city code prohibiting camping on public property without a permit. According to City Attorney Christina Montgomery, the city, in cooperation with the Emporia Police Department, will now begin developing the permit application process.
Commissioners approved the ordinance 4-1 with commissioner Susan Brinkman serving as the lone no vote. During the meeting, Brinkman stated the ordinance was full of “sanitized language” and believes the ordinance directly targets the city’s homeless population.
Brinkman added she felt the issue was being “rushed” stating “we took 12 months to consider the safety and care of chickens. We have had less than a week to consider the care of other humans.”
Emporia Police Chief Ed Owens says the policy was not created specifically with the homeless population in mind. That being said, Owens says unlawful camping sites do present a “health hazard” to the local community.
Owens followed those comments by saying he is hopeful this is a policy EPD never has to enforce.
Owens also says the ordinance has a component of humanity to it, especially with temperatures beginning to drop considerably with the winter season.
Rather than establishing an ordinance punishing unlawful camping, Brinkman stated she feels the commission should be looking into the creation of a municipal shelter for homeless residents.
Commissioners approved the ordinance as a “pilot program” for a period of six months at which time commissioners will review the program further on May 7th 2023. Brinkman says she is displeased with this course of action saying she believes it is experimenting with people’s lives.
In other business, commissioners approved a resolution for the issuance of industrial revenue bonds (IRB) for Fairview Hotels LLC. The commission’s action is not a formal issuance of bonds according to Special Projects Coordinator Jim Witt, but rather a decloration of intent to issue the bonds following construction of a new hotel and convention center at the former Montana Mike’s restaurant at 3010 Eaglecrest Drive.
A full timeline for this project is currently pending, however, Witt says actual construction likely won’t begin on the project until the first quarter of 2023.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene on Wednesday Dec. 7 at 11 am inside of the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
