Camping on city land outlawed; rule takes effect next week

The Colorado Springs City Council voted 8-1 on Tuesday to approve an ordinance that prohibits camping on public property. Councilman Tom Gallagher, who has had a brush with homelessness, cast the dissenting vote.

The camping ban, contemplated by the council for months, will go into effect next week, City Clerk Kathryn Young said. As the ban has been drafted, the council has wrestled with competing demands to clean out the camps while maintaining respect for the homeless.

Tuesday's marathon council meeting drew protesters, homeless advocates and supporters of the camping ban, who helped pack the council chambers for much of the day. Prior to Tuesday's meeting, the council had heard hours of competing testimony at public hearings.

Gallagher said residents should be “terrified” by the language in the ordinance.

“This makes sunbathing in the parks illegal,” he said.

After the vote, someone in the audience yelled: “Cowards!”