REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Introduce an Ordinance to Add Chapter 9.63 (Camping and Storage of Property in Public Areas) to Chapter 9 (Public Peace, Safety or Welfare) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code
Report
BACKGROUND
Parks, public areas, and city owned properties in Sunnyvale are not intended to be used for camping or the storage of personal property. In recent years, the City has received a growing number of complaints from residents about camping and storage of property on public property, particularly in Fair Oaks Park and under the north side of the Fair Oaks Bridge Overpass near Kifer Road. The proposed ordinance is one tool to be used in conjunction with other efforts to address homelessness to ensure the City's public areas are kept in a safe, clean and accessible condition. The City will continue to partner with the County's North County Cold Weather Shelter Program and various social service agencies including Sunnyvale Community Services and InnVision Shelter Network to provide proactive case management for the homeless in Sunnyvale.
EXISTING POLICY
SMC Section 9.62.090. Loitering Prohibited During Certain Hours: No person shall remain, stay or loiter in any public park, between the hours of nine p.m. and six a.m. of the following day without approval from the director.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Adoption of the ordinance is not a project within the meaning of CEQA because it is an operational activity and will not create a significant impact on the environment. (CEQA Guideline 15061(b)(3).)
DISCUSSION
Proposed Code and Enforcement
The purpose of the proposed ordinance (see Attachment 1) is to provide a tool to assist the City's ability to balance the needs and rights of all users of city parks and rights-of-way to ensure that both people and the environment are protected from damage. The ordinance will allow maintenance of public property in a clean, sanitary, safe, attractive and accessible condition, protect the health, safety,...
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