Citrus Heights Council votes to toughen illegal camping regulations

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council on Wednesday voted in support of expanding the definition of illegal camping, but opted to exempt sleeping in passenger vehicles.

During an Aug. 28 City Council meeting, the Citrus Heights Police Department presented proposed amendments to the city’s illegal camping ordinances to the council in response to “significant blight issues” throughout the city. The amendments aim to expand the definitions for vehicle-based camping, and add “more stringent regulations on camping on private property,” according to a staff report.

Lt. Wesley Herman, with the Citrus Heights Police Department, said illegal camping on private property often results in unlawful use of nearby electrical facilities, unlawful waste disposal, and “a significant amount of trash” being left nearby. With the new ordinance, anyone sleeping or camping in a vehicle on private property for an extended time will require written permission from the property owner and can only remain on one property for 72 hours, up to three times per year.

Vice Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa, Mayor Bret Daniels, and Councilmember Tim Schaefer expressed concern with the original crafting of the amendments. Karpinski-Costa and Daniels suggested that many people who are doing nothing else wrong, might be forced to sleep in their cars because “that’s the last thing they own and pay for.” Daniels and Karpinski-Costa said that residents might even be employed, but not have enough money to afford housing.

Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte told the council that the people described by Karpinski-Costa and Daniels aren’t the ones residents are complaining about. Turcotte said the department receives complaints regarding “massive RVs” that are illegally stationed on private property. Turcotte also added that officers can “use discretion” on a case-by-case basis and said no action is mandated.

“It is much, much better to get people into services and off the street for their own safety for the public’s safety,” Turcotte said. “That’s been the number one goal.”

City Manager Ash Feeney said the city has compared its current ordinance with neighboring jurisdictions and found that while neighboring jurisdictions had codes outlining vehicle-based camping regulations, Citrus Heights city codes were “silent” on vehicular-based camping.

“If we don’t have it on the books, then we don’t have the ability to enforce when situations warrant it,” Feeney said.

Alfred Sanchez, a homeless advocate, implored the City Council and Police Department during the meeting to clearly define illegal camping and other regulations so that there isn’t “confusion” among citizens, police officers, and the city. Sanchez has been critical of how personal property owned by homeless people are allegedly seized and stored during illegal camping cleanups and has told The Sentinel in past interviews that homeless persons’ personal property, even clearly labeled with identification, is often lost or unaccounted for instead of being properly stored at the police department.

The City Council requested the ordinance amendment be revised to exempt passenger vehicles from the camping prohibition, as long as the vehicles are legally registered and insured. The amendment was passed, 3-1, with Councilmember Porsche Middleton absent and Councilmember MariJane Lopez-Taff opposed.

Full wording of the city’s revised ordinance is included in the council’s Aug. 28 meeting agenda packet.

Want to share your thoughts on Citrus Heights’ camping ordinance? Click here to submit a letter-to-the-editor.