Anti-Camping Ordinance To Be Introduced Before Wheeling City Council
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WHEELING -- Action to dismantle a homeless encampment in the city of Wheeling was put on hold this weekend as city leaders await the opening of a new winter shelter, but members of city council are still expected to consider new legislation that will prohibit camping on public property.
A new ordinance is set for a first reading at Tuesday night's Wheeling City Council meeting to implement the camping ban. According to the legislation, the ordinance would take effect Jan. 1, 2024 if passed.
The proposed legislation was discussed during the last city council meeting on Oct. 3, when Wheeling officials made reference to similar camping ban legislation that was moved forward by city officials in Parkersburg.
Talk of the camping ban legislation coincided with recent action taken by the city administration, which had issued a two-week notice that a homeless encampment near the Nelson Jordan Center in East Wheeling was to be dismantled in the wake of recent complaints and criminal activity. Last month, a city worker cleaning up trash around the encampment was reportedly assaulted by a homeless man from the camp.
These developments that could displace the growing homeless population in the city prompted advocates to fill the Oct. 3 city council meeting to voice their concerns. An organized gathering outside the City-County Building on Thursday was held to protest the dismantling of the homeless camp, which had a deadline of this past Friday afternoon.
However, Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said late last week that after speaking with officials with the Wheeling Police Department, criminal complaints around the camp had diminished since the notice was posted, and officials agreed to put the dismantling of the encampment on hold until the winter shelter opens. Herron indicated that individuals would be permitted to continue camping at the East Wheeling site until the winter shelter opens unless future criminal activity, trash dumping or other illegal activity would prompt the city to move forward with its dismantling.
An official announcement by The Life Hub was expected to take place today about plans to open a winter shelter at its new location in the former First English Lutheran Church facility at 35-16th St. in downtown Wheeling.
The long-term goal of The Life Hub is to open a low-barrier shelter that operates year-round. Work is ongoing to bring that mission to fruition.
Opponents of the displacement of homeless individuals have argued that until a viable shelter option is available, there is literally nowhere for many of the people in the local homeless population to go. While city leaders have continued to make efforts to address the situation and have expressed compassion for the plight of the unhoused, they have noted that the city cannot allow serious problems to perpetuate by continuing to allow homeless camps to grow out of control - with reports of violence, drug activity, public defecation, illegal dumping and other issues becoming recurring activities.
Wheeling City Council is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the City-County Building.
The proposed ordinance to prohibit camping on public property defines camping as "setting up, remaining in or at property for the purpose of sleeping, making preparations to sleep, storing personal property and/or performing cooking activities for habitation purposes." Camping would be prohibited on any street, sidewalk, alley, easement, park, nature preserve, conservation park, parking lots, public grounds, public right of way or under any bridge or viaduct.
Camping would be allowed only if a permit was issued to "engage in camping for historical, cultural or educational purposes." Those permits would be valid only for a limited period of time to allow for such activities.
The penalty for violating the ordinance would be a fine of between $100 and $500.
In other action Tuesday, members of the Finance Committee of Council are expected to met at 5 p.m. prior to the regular council meeting to review the September financial report, discuss a review of Building and Planning plans and consider a recommendation to award American Rescue Plan Act funds requested for the Temple Child Care Center at the Dream Center in North Wheeling.