New rules regarding camping and sleeping in vehicles on private property were passed as urgency ordinances Wednesday night by the Morro Bay City Council, and those ordinances are now in effect.
“I understand the need for enforcement and regulations but most of the time these people just need a way out of where they’ve gotten themselves into,” said local Rich Buquet.
Buquet says he has lived in the area for 10 years and is all about helping the homeless after previously working as a neighborhood services manager near San Diego.
“I’ve watched the homeless situation since we’ve moved here,” Buquet said. “We need to really get down in the nitty gritty and find out why they’re where they are and what you can do to help.”
The camping ordinance allows those who are homeless to sleep on public property without criminal or civil charges, but within specific parameters:
1. Camping on public property, where allowed, may only occur for 24 hours at a time in any one location.
2. Camping on public property is not allowed in certain places in the City, including: in or within 200 feet of residential areas, schools, playgrounds, visitor-serving commercial areas, critical infrastructure, or high/very high fire zones, where creates physical impediments preventing emergency or non-emergency access to public or private property, vehicle and bicycle lanes within public rights-of-way, certain public property such as City Hall, Community Center and Veterans Hall.
3. Camping, when and where allowed, is subject to regulations, including:
a. Cannot impede sidewalk accessibility or use of public rights-of-way.
b. Camping limited to space of not more than 12x12 feet (144 square feet).
b. A camp may not be located within a 150-foot radius from another camp.
d. Requires areas to be kept clean and free of garbage, debris, and waste.
e. Open flames, recreational fires, and the like are prohibited (some flameless warming and cooking devices permitted).
f. Dumping of greywater or hazardous water prohibited.
g. No unauthorized connections or taps to public utilities.
h. Building structures out of plywood, pallets, etc. not allowed (portable tents used for shelter not included in this prohibition).
i. Limited storage of personal property related to what is necessary for camping, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry.
j. Camps limited to no more than two persons, two animals and one portable tent used for shelter.
“It provides a road map for these individuals to be able to sleep in public land without concerns of criminal prosecution,” said Morro Bay Police Chief Amy Watkins.
The vehicle on private property ordinance aims to reduce the number of people who can camp on private property for a certain period of time.
“Regulations that require a permit, access and use of restroom and shower facilities and that is all going to be regulated through a permit process through the city,” Chief Watkins said.
The city is offering additional help starting January 15.
805 Outreach will be bringing their shower trailer to the Morro Bay Library on the 1st and 3rd of each month.
“Shower services, there will be individuals from Dignity Health, CAPSLO and also drug and alcohol counselors to assist those in need of additional services,” Watkins said.
