Aberdeen Council passes multiple items regarding River City camp

The Aberdeen City Council passed three reports, a resolution, and the first reading of two ordinances all regarding the River City Homeless Encampment.

At the Wednesday council meeting, the reports recommended the approval of the resolution and the ordinances.

The resolution approved and adopted the governing access to the property which was agreed upon by the City and the Plaintiffs who brought a lawsuit against the City.

The resolution stated that “it is a reasonable exercise of the City’s police powers to maintain consistency of access rules to all persons as long as the City continues to allow individuals to “live” at the River Street property.”

An ordinance on the same subject also had its first of three readings approved.

The City also had to make an adjustment to its municipal code on the subject of camping on public property to comply with recent court decisions.

An ordinance that makes those adjustments had its first reading approved as well.

In the ordinance it cites the 2018 case Martin v. City of Boise, which found that a City cannot criminally prosecute people for sleeping outside on public property when those people have no home or other shelter to go to.

Since that decision was issued, the City of Aberdeen says they have not criminally cited individuals for violating their public camping code.

Follow the link below to find the reports, resolution, and ordinances in their entirety, which includes the rules for the property.

https://www.aberdeenwa.gov/wp-content/uploads/minutes-agendas-newsletters/Agenda_2019-01-09.pdf