Officials pass parking regulation changes
A note of clarification from Councilor Randy Groves: My council motion that precipitated this ordinance change was based on blocked access for trucking into and out of businesses, lawlessness (serious criminal behavior), chronic dumping of garbage and raw sewage into city streets and wetlands, and the uncontrolled camping that was placing workers, other unhoused campers, customers and businesses in jeopardy in West Eugene. A council majority then moved to expand the motion to include all of Eugene. The ordinance change is intended to support the establishment of the "Safe Site" camps which will come on line shortly and provide organized and managed safe spaces giving our unhoused community a place to go. This ordinance is not about picking on the unhoused, it's about restoring order to an unmanaged, chaotic and dangerous situation. The ordinance change will only be effective if we dedicate enough resources to support enforcement.