HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-17-23 Public Comment - K. Klewin - Urban CampingFrom:Kurt Klewin
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Campers
Date:Thursday, August 17, 2023 3:08:34 PM
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Bozeman's urban campers, that have filled our streets, is an issue in need of strong localleadership.
The transition of a once great town into the trash bin of vacation destinations has only taken a
few short years. Trailers create traffic hazzards, the city fields calls of raw sewage beingdumped on private land frequently, trash fills the streets, city resources are drained, tax
expenditures increase, businesses deal with the homeless bathing in their bathrooms, and thoseof us that grew up here are filled with sadness.
The reasons for the campers are many and can be the subject of a whole seperate discussion.
But in short, the well to do have driven up real estate prices, institutional investors gobble uprentals, everyone wants an Air BnB inventment property, and the crime and political
dysfunction in other states have driven everyone to "the last best place".
The 9th Circuit ruling that "removing an individual from a camper, if its their home, is crueland unusual punnishment" is law, but the best Bozeman leadership can do is throw up their
hands and throw out a not well thought out "lets make them move their camper every 5 days". This is obviously unenforcable and compliance will be minimal. How do you know if they
moved their camper? Who keeps tracks of hundreds of campers?
We cant fight the court, but we can, as a city, regulate the campers. This in turn mightdiscourage camping in certain areas.
An ordinance need to include....
1. All campers must be registered with the city and receive a registration decal to be displayed
on the street side of the camper for easy viewing. Registration is $750 per year to help offsetstreet cleaning, dumpster removal, and hazmat cleanups.
2. All registered campers must show proof of registration of the camper, as per state law.
Each camper is to be display a license and display current year registration on said license.
3. Each camper must have current and valid insurance, to include liability, to be shown atregistration and upon request.
4. If a camper is a tow unit (bumper pull or 5th wheel), registrant must also provide
registration, proof of ownership, and proof of insurance of a tow vehicle capable of movingregistered camper as need so the city can clean the public right of way.
5. No campers or campers personal property will be on city sidewalks, bulevards, or ajacent
private property. None will block right of ways, fire lanes, nor be within 15 ft of a driveway
or access.
6. Campers will be kept fully mobile (tires inflated, no skirting, no permant attachments)
7. Nothing can be stored outside the camper to include: firewood, water jugs, trash, propanebottles, lawn chairs, tents, cargo trailers, oitdoor animals, etc.
8. Campers will be kept neat and clean. No broken windows, no flat tires, no trash outside the
camper, no tarps tied to campers, and no plywood additions.
9. Any camper not registered will receive a 5 day notice to register. Any camper notregistered after posting of a 5 day notice is subject to a fine of $950 and 50 hrs community
service cleaning up camper area trash.
10. Campers limited to 2 residents.
11. Campers limited to 1 inside camper animal.
12. Campers are a bridge to housing. Yearly registration goes up $250 per year (year 2registration is $1000). The registration fees are to offset city costs and to make up for the fact
that campers done pay any taxes to the City of Bozeman.
13. Any camper found not in compliance after 1 warning will be towed at owners expense. Iftowing and storage is not paid, City of Bozeman will put a lein on the camper. If not paid in
180 days, camper will be sold for scrap.
Urban Campers Welcome! Just have to follow our rules. Just like the rules on keepingsidewalks clear of snow, mowing your lawn, and watering on your day. Simple as that. Step
up Bozeman leadership. The answers are fairly simple.
Kurt KlewinBozeman
406.599.8030