Placer County to introduce amended camping ordinance

A proposed camping ordinance is scheduled to be introduced during the Placer County Board of Supervisors meeting March 8. The ordinance proposes the removal of camp facilities and prohibiting camping or the use of camping paraphernalia in county public space and high fire severity zones between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The ordinance would include an exemption for inclement weather and day resources for unsheltered individuals, including the Placer County Re-Entry Program and a center to provide services and housing options. The board accepted comments concerning the proposed ordinance during its Feb. 8 meeting. The introduction was then delayed to the first meeting in March in an effort to receive additional feedback from county residents. Placer County Deputy CEO Bekki Riggan confirmed the additional time would also provide staff with time to finalize contract details for the service center included in the proposed ordinance. According to the staff report, a community roundtable was conducted Feb. 23 with 40 in-person attendees, 25 virtual participants and staff from the Placer County Sheriff's Office, Health and Human Services, Probation and the County Executive Office. Reasons provided during the roundtable in support of the proposed ordinance included the current tent encampment at the Placer County Government Center in Auburn presents health and safety concerns and the situation would become worse if left unaddressed. The staff report notes concerns of those opposed included creating a hardship by requiring individuals to break down and set up camps daily and the ban causing the encampment to relocate. According to the staff report, the ordinance will be proposed with the following changes to include feedback received from the public: Camping will be prohibited on county property where and when signage is posted. The daytime camping ban will be eliminated. Individuals camping by necessity will be allowed to stay on county property but will be expected to assume a degree of responsibility for their behavior and the camp's condition. "Clean and clear" provisions will allow the county to work with individuals on removing soiled furniture and rotten food, and addressing rodent infestations and other unsafe or unsanitary conditions. The board is scheduled to consider the ordinance at 10:05 a.m. March 8. The staff report can be viewed at placer.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/58893/04A. Placer residents can attend the meeting at the County Administrative Center, 175 Fulweiler Avenue in Auburn, or participate remotely at placer.ca.gov/boslive.