City of Taylor considering a public camping ordinance

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The council will consider an ordinance that includes regulations on camping in public areas and a policy for trespass warnings on City property.

TAYLOR, Texas — Editor’s note: The above video, related to homelessness in Austin, was published in December 2022.

At its meeting on Thursday, the Taylor City Council is set to consider an ordinance calling for public camping regulations.

According to a transmittal letter included in Thursday’s agenda, the ordinance calls for regulations on camping in public areas and a policy for trespass warnings on City property.

The letter states that the “purpose of the proposed ordinance is to address a noticeable increase in encampments and loitering on public properties or within public facilities causing vandalism or destruction of public property.”

“The ordinance addresses the growing occurrences city employees are having to focus on with our displaced population in the city taking residence either within public facilities or on public grounds by way of make-shift shelters,” the letter states. “Such occupancy has resulted in vandalism or destruction of public property.”

The ordinance is the result of collaboration between the Taylor Police Department, Parks and Recreation Department and Public Library. Each department worked with the city attorney to “help prevent or mitigate past incidents occurring again,” but the letter states that the City currently has no policy to address such instances.

The ordinance proposes that any individual who receives a citation has the opportunity to appeal to the municipal court within 30 days. The letter states that City staff reviewed other policies from surrounding cities, including Georgetown and Round Rock, to come up with the ordinance.

The full proposed ordinance can be read by opening Thursday’s agenda and searching for “camping.”

Other Central Texas cities currently have policies in place to ban at least some public camping, including Austin and Kyle.

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