HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 12/1/2015 - Memorandum From Fort Collins Human Relations Commission Re: Proposed Changes To Ordinance 17-181.5 Camping On Public Property: Affirmative DefenseMEMORANDUM
November 18, 2015
To: Mayor Wade Troxell
Councilmembers: Gino Campana, Ross Cunniff, Gerry Horak, Ray Martinez, Bob
Overbeck, Kristin Stephens
From: Fort Collins Human Relations Commission
Re: Proposed changes to Ordinance 17-181.5 Camping on Public Property;
Affirmative Defense
On November 12, 2015, members of the Human Relations Commission
unanimously voted to encourage City Council to consider the following when
adopting changes to the Camping Ordinance:
1. Encourage shelters to report to Fort Collins Police Services when shelters are full.
2. Issue no camping on public property citations when shelters are full.
Reasoning:
1. Citing people for illegal camping but then providing an affirmative defense for
those citations creates the potential for causing ill will and wasting valuable court
time.
2. Asking people to prove they could not gain access to all available shelters creates
a burden for shelters and for people who have limited resources.
3. Shelter clients are often able to determine shelters are at capacity without having
to physically go to the shelters.