San Diego County supervisors will vote on a strengthened version of an unsafe camping ordinance covering unincorporated areas on Tuesday, in an attempt to prevent wildfires caused by unhoused people.
Tuesday’s vote will involve a second reading of the proposal.
On May 6, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to request a draft of the updated policy.
It was the latest step in the process that began in October 2023, when the board directed since-retired Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins- Meyer for a proposed revision of the ordinance, which has been in effect since 1968.
The board provided more direction last August to her successor, Ebony Shelton. In March, the board directed county staff members to provide feedback to the proposal.
If the ordinance is approved on Tuesday, as is expected, it would take effect 30 days later.
According to Supervisor Joel Anderson’s office the ordinance would:
prohibit encampments that endanger community safety on public property, or damage public property or structures; ban anyone using combustible ignition or fire sources, maintaining an open fire, or discarding lit materials tobacco products; or not allow encampments that damage public property or structures.Those violating the ordinance “would be subject to enforcement under other relevant laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, stay-away orders, public nuisance and other injunctive relief,” Anderson’s office said.
Law enforcement officers may only write a citation “to enforce a violation of section 73.108 where the violation poses an imminent risk of death, serious injury, or spread of wildfire or communicable disease,” his office added.
As one example, someone burning a fire outside designated public campgrounds could be cited, although it would not considered criminal.
Anderson has been focused on the issue of backcountry fires caused by humans.
In a statement from earlier this year, he said passing an updated ordinance “is a crucial step to protect all residents,” as “news reports have confirmed the origin of several recent fires being encampments, including the Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo in January of this year.”
Along with the Center Fire, the San Diego Metro Arson Strike Team told NBC7 on Jan. 30 that homeless encampments were the cause of two other blazes in the San Diego neighborhoods of La Jolla and Mission Valley.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( County supervisors to vote on updated camping ordinance )
Also on site :