HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-09-23 Public Comment - J. Polasik - Urban CampingFrom:Joe PolasikTo:AgendaSubject:Urban CampingDate:Tuesday, May 9, 2023 5:26:47 PM
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Bozeman City Commision,
The city needs to act immediately on the urban camping situation in the city. It is getting worse and affecting our livelihood and safety and is an outright embarrassment that it has not already been dealt with. We have an office in West Hemlock. People working here are afraid to park their vehicles on the Hemlock sheet due to vandalism and personal safety. The problem is affecting business, we avoid having clients visit our office due to safety and how it makes us look as a city. This is the first impression people from out of town people get when they come to visit us. see additional photos.
There have been 2 assaults right in front of our office that we had to call Bozeman PD for recently (VIDEO). There have been people shot on this street in the last year. There is trash, furniture and junk all over the road. I'm constantly picking up trash on our property and there have been multiple incidents of theft of services on our property and vandalism on our property. The vehicles parked in the street either have no license plates, expired plates or are not even mobile. People are running illegal businesses involving drugs and running rental businesses for campers they "own." Last night there was a party in front of our office andthis morning there were multiple tents off the public space and a campfire in the parking lot. If one of the campers is abandoned the city is not moving quickly enough to remove them before another occupant moves in. We also recently found out that a registered sex offender was living in the area prior to his arrest for another incident. The FBI and sheriffs were where they were today and arrested several people, not sure what that was about yet but I saw them walking away with a confiscated weapon.
I think it is just a matter of time until we have a break in or worse one of our employees is involved in an incident. I am seriously worried about their safety and not sure what else we can do without the city's help.
I have been communicating consistently with Bozeman PD. I appreciate everything they are trying to do but it sounds like they keep running into hangups about how and where they can tow things and are short staffed to be able to deal with this problem across the city.
I have contacted multiple people at the city over the last 8 months and have seen very little action, have been told there is nothing that can be done, or I should suggest legal ways of dealing with the situation. I am a citizen and this is what we elect commissioners to handle for us, it is not our responsibility. So as commissioners you need to address this... immediately! Please listen to the city staff and Bozeman PD as they have valuable input on the situation. Please provide them the resources and the laws they need to address the situation.
Suggestion I have heard from Bozeman PD and others:
Legalize camping within city limits but perit it to restrict where and how it can happen. Not near business, residences, schools or parks. This would ensure campers have proper registration and the owner can be held accountable for violating laws. This would also help the PD with tracking where sex offenders and violent criminals are residing.Find places to permit camping and provide services. Letting people decide on their own cannot continue and denies law and order. If you are okay with this please invite them to come set up camp in front of your home or business.Improve trash removal - there is a dumpster on our street, it is constantly full, surrounded by furniture or the trash is just thrown near it as it is apparently too difficult to put in the dumpster. Residential waste bins at camping sites with trash service could help alleviate this. Or provide a paid trash service or something with the permitting. Just because they do not have a home does not mean they do not have money to pay for basic services.Have fines and penalties increase for repeated offenses. Talking bozeman PD some of the people would rather pay the littering fines that pick up their trash. Need to be able to raise the stakes to make a change.Please review Chapter 16 of the Bozeman municipal code. There are multiple laws being broken and unenforced for certain residents within the city limit. If there are problems with these laws you need to adjust them so they can be enforced.
I'm not asking for people to be kicked out of their "homes" but I am asking the city to address the situation and find a safer way forward for Bozeman. What is happening right now cannot continue, so any action is better than none.
PLEASE HELP!!
Joe PolasikPrincipalc: 406.600.1211 | w: moduluscorp.com
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