Residents Tuesday night took aim at proposed ordinances for Longmont’s parks and nature areas, all geared toward clearing out the homeless who have caused problems for residents looking to recreate during the summer months. Lanyon Park has been a particular trouble spot which prompted the city to review its camping and hours of operation ordinance, city officials told the city council.
Many felt unsafe at Lanyon Park and ball teams no longer wanted to schedule games there because of drug activity, said Carmen Palacios-Ramirez, manager of community and neighborhood resources for Longmont.
People…”were occupying the shelter all day long, and were encircling the shelters with shopping carts and tarps,” Palacios-Ramirez said. “Residents didn’t want to go there.”
However, the homeless problem in Longmont and elsewhere is more deeply rooted and likely can’t be solved by the toughening of laws, longtime resident Jeffrey Justice told the city council.
“I’ve been through the parks and I’ve seen a lot,” Justice said. “I run into homeless and displaced people all the time, some are very nice and don’t cause problems at all. Others do cause problems.”
“If you move people out of Lanyon Park, where are they going to go?” Justice said. “They will just move to another place.”
Paula Fitzgerald said the city should not make sweeping changes to ease homeless woes in a few parks. “The apparent reason for the change is to address the homeless issue at Lanyon Park and maybe a handful of other parks,” Fitzgerald said. “To take a blanket approach to the entire city because of issues at Lanyon is unreasonable.”
The ordinances got initial approval from the city council Tuesday night and will likely be back toward the end of May for a final vote. “I want it to be back by then, because we need to have something in by the summer,” Mayor Joan Peck said Wednesday.
The recommended ordinance changes are:
- A definition of camping: “Camping means to reside or dwell temporarily in a place by using or erection a shelter (other than a park provided shelters), temporary or otherwise, including a tent or any type of cover or protection from elements besides the clothing a person is wearing, and conduct daily activities, including but not limited to eating or sleeping in such place. The term does not include napping or picnicking for a period of not to exceed two hours per calendar day during the times the public lands are available and open for use by the public…”
- Park Hours: “In neighborhood parks, nature areas, greenways, and dog parks, the hours of public use shall be between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset as those times are published by the National Weather Service, seven days a week, except as otherwise posted. Lighted park facilities will remain open for their intended uses until 10 p.m. seven days a week, except as posted.”
- Shelter Reservations: All shelters are on a first-come first-serve basis except that a reservation is required for all shelters in the following circumstances: 1. An event with 15 or more people 2. Uses longer than two hours, regardless of party size.
