TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — At the meeting on Tuesday, June 17 the City of Tucson Mayor and City Council will consider an ordinance on the subject of camping in washes and parks. Earlier this year, the mayor and council voted on an ordinance that did not pass, ending in a 3-3 vote.
The agenda item considers banning camping in washes. Proponents of such a ban say encampments threaten the public safety of people and first responders who need to go into the washes in order to conduct rescues during flooding. They also say that camping leads to fires and damages public welfare.
These ordinances come on the heels of an appellate court siding with neighbors after they sued the City of Tucson over concerns about homeless camping in washes.
Council Member Paul Cunningham requested that these ordinances be reconsidered, according to a Ward 6 newsletter from Councilmember Karen Uhlich.
Additionally, during today's study session, the Mayor and City Council will receive an update from the County Health Department on the Opioid Settlement Committee’s plan for how to address the fentanyl crisis. They will also be updated on how law enforcement and the court are tackling this issue.
KGUN 9 will have a report on Tuesday's Mayor and Council meeting in our 10 p.m. newscast. You can watch the meeting live here.
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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
