The Battle Ground City Council is considering an ordinance to address unauthorized camping, including in vehicles, on public property.
During its Monday, Jan. 6, meeting, the council advanced Ordinance 2025-02 to a future public hearing. The proposal seeks to preserve public health, safety and accessibility by prohibiting camping in parks, streets, sidewalks, plazas and other city-owned spaces. It also restricts the use of vehicles as dwellings on public property, except for recreational vehicles in compliance with local and state laws.
Key exemptions include city-sanctioned events, temporary emergency shelters during severe weather or disasters, camping on private property with owner consent and temporary encampments permitted under city code. The ordinance outlines procedures for removing and storing personal property found at unauthorized encampments, ensuring due process and opportunities for retrieval.
“I think it’s hitting the points of safety and health concerns as well as addressing … the person who’s going through homelessness and their property,” Councilor Victoria Ferrer said during the meeting.
Violators would first receive notice and an opportunity to comply with city code. For continued violations, fines could reach up to $100 for a first infraction and escalate to $200 and a 30-day exclusion order for repeat offenses within a year. Trespassing cases could result in criminal penalties. The ordinance also states that enforcement officials may provide individuals with information about social services and shelter options during the process.
Ferrer raised concerns about administrative policies linked to the ordinance during the meeting. She questioned a provision granting the city manager authority to amend policies in consultation with relevant departments, suggesting that such authority might undermine the council’s role in creating and amending policies. City Manager Kris Swanson distinguished the ordinance — subject to council approval — from administrative policies, which she described as procedural and requiring flexibility for operational changes. Swanson agreed to include provisions notifying the council of future amendments to these policies.
Another point of discussion centered on procedures for reclaiming personal property seized from unauthorized encampments. Ferrer expressed concerns that the policy did not explicitly require claimants to provide names or detailed descriptions of their belongings, potentially allowing items to be claimed by individuals who do not own them. Swanson clarified that, while claimants are not required to provide extensive details, they must identify the lost items specifically. She reassured the council that the city would not release property indiscriminately.
A public hearing on Ordinance 2025-02 will take place after 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, at Battle Ground City Hall, 109 SW First St., second floor. If adopted, the ordinance would take effect 30 days after its passage and publication.
