Placer County to vote on new homeless ordinance, eliminate daytime camping ban

Placer County’s Board of Supervisors is set to vote on the newest camping ordinance at its meeting Tuesday.

If passed, the ordinance would prohibit camping on county property or fire-prone areas where signage is posted, with exceptions made for those camping due to inclement weather or when shelters are full.

The ordinance was hotly debated in the board’s Feb. 8 meeting. After a round table discussion among county officials and about 65 members of the public, the ordinance was amended to remove a daytime camping ban out of concern “daily breakdown and set up of camps would create a hardship, particularly for elderly or disabled individuals,” according to a staff report.

Residents also shared concerns that a daytime camping ban would cause homeless individuals to congregate, or just move their encampment elsewhere.

The new rule would apply countywide, but it’s designed to regulate a large homeless encampment at the North Auburn government campus. About 100 people live there in 67 campsites directly across the street from county offices.

The site of the encampment is also near the future site of the county’s new health and human services building.

“Those camping by necessity will be allowed to stay on County property; however, they will also be expected to assume a reasonable degree of responsibility for the condition of their camp and for their behaviors,” the staff report said.

Under the amended ordinance, law enforcement officials can “clean and clear any camp facilities on County property at any interval deemed necessary to ensure proper sanitation and health standards are maintained.”

Implementation of the new policy is expected to cost the county $150,000 in clean-up efforts, the staff report said.

This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM.