City Administrator Report – The North Bend City Council reviewed results (https://bit.ly/3zSGyM5) from its comprehensive survey on homelessness during its Monday work session. The city surveyed North Benders in response to changes in Oregon Law that legalized camping on public property statewide unless local jurisdictions enact regulations that are objectively reasonable as to time, place, and manner regarding persons experiencing homelessness. The new legislation defines public property as “public lands, premises, and buildings, including but not limited to any building used in connection with the transaction of public business or any lands, premises, or buildings owned or leased by this state or any political subdivision therein.” Every Oregon city and county must update its ordinance language by July 1, 2023, to comply with the new state law and several court cases and opinions issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. Coos County and Coos Bay have already implemented their ordinances. North Bend developed a draft ordinance in coordination with Coos Bay that addressed “time” and “manner” but slowed the process on “place” until the community was aware of the new legislation and had a chance to provide feedback to the City Council. The overwhelming survey results (https://bit.ly/3fzS4Tz) are not surprising: NIMBY, an acronym for the phrase “not in my back yard.” A whopping 78 percent of respondents stated they wanted a designated camping site rather than in city parks or on public streets and sidewalks. Suppose the City of North Bend prohibited people from sleeping on public land altogether. In that case, the new legislation dictates it must first provide enough housing or emergency shelter beds for every person experiencing homelessness within its city limits. Since North Bend only encompasses 5.093 square miles, of which 3.92 sq. mi. is actual land, identifying a designated overnight camping site is no easy task. In response to citizen input, staff identified five possible solutions for Council consideration during Monday’s work session. All of the solutions required real thought by the governing body, and each has distinct pros and cons. Utilize the rear parking lot of the Community Center while pursuing a joint partnership to renovate and retrofit the facility for a long-term solution of continuum services. Designate an existing city park for overnight camping; Purchase land away from residential and most commercial areas that can accommodate overnight camping; Designate specific streets throughout the city that can accommodate overnight camping; Lease space in the airport’s 35-acre industrial park, which will be secure once its $2 Million tree-clearing and fence project is complete; Council directed staff to work with the City Attorney to update its draft camping and towing ordinances and put them forth at the January 24 work session for discussion and possible adoption at the January 25 Council Meeting. The Council consensus was a desire to lease or purchase land but utilize the Community Center parking lot in the short term at 2222 Broadway for overnight parking. The ordinance would take effect 30 days upon adoption. During those 30 days, staff would fence in the back lot of the North Bend Community Center, install gates and signage, implement a community communications strategy, secure portable toilets, and arrange for security to open and close the lot based on the schedule in the adopted ordinance.
