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ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL Transient issues on council agenda Study session discussion set for Monday, vote on ordinances on Tuesday Comment By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Nov. 1, 2015 at 3:57 PM By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Nov. 1, 2015 at 3:57 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Dozens speak out about Ashland transient issue • Ashland sees spike in street people • What do you make of the street people downtown? » Social News Ashland city councilors are set to have a discussion of "downtown behavior issues" and what can be done about it on Monday and vote on tweaks to existing ordinaces to give law enforcement some additional tools to address those issues on Tuesday. The meetings come days after a lengthy listening session Wednesday to take community input regarding problems and potential solutions related to Ashland’s homeless population of street people, also called travelers. More than 100 people, 40 of whom spoke during nearly three hours of public comment on the homeless population at the meeting, some calling for action to reduce the number of homeless and for stricter enforcement of existing laws, others to express dismay that the city would single out a single demographic for scrutiny. Primary concerns at the listening session, hosted by Mayor John Stromberg and Councilor Stefani Seffinger, were rude and aggressive behavior by panhandlers, sexual harassment, control and vaccination of dogs in the city, blockage of public walkways, public smoking, drinking and bathroom use (or the lack of it), and impacts of urban camping in the city, including fire danger. Those speaking on behalf of the homeless questioned the legality of the city taking action against the homeless for behavior that they assert is protected under various articles in or amendments to the Constitution. Suggestions included increased enforcement of existing laws, possible new ordinances prohibiting certain behaviors, community ambassadors to help change the culture on the streets and increased education for the community and the homeless population. Monday’s study session, which will be held in the City Council chamber, unlike most study sessions, which are held at city offices on Winburn Way, is intended to review information collected at Wednesday’s discussion session and to examine possible courses of action and the legal ramifications of some of the suggested solutions. According to city documents, discussion at the meeting will include potential changes to the municipal code to provide additional tools for law enforcement, community education to change attitudes toward panhandling, enhancing uniformed presence in the downtown core and possible community responses not involving the local government. Monday's agenda also includes discussion of "complete or partial ban on smoking in downtown Ashland," at the request of Seffinger. Smoking tobacco within 10 feet of a business entrance, exit or window is already prohibited under state law. Many cities across the country have banned smoking in parks. A few have banned smoking altogether in downtown areas. The council again turns its focus toward the homeless population at its regular meeting Tuesday when it takes up a series of ordinances for the first of two legally required readings. The first would add failure to vaccinate and license a dog and public smoking of marijuana to the list of infractions that constitute persistent violation in the enhanced law enforcement area (ELEA) downtown, which currently includes "scattering rubbish" (including public urination or defecation), "unnecessary noise," loss of control of dogs, public consumption of alcohol and having an open container of alcohol in public. If a person is cited for three qualifying offenses in the ELEA within a six-month period, the person can be convicted of the crime of persistent violation and can be expelled from the downtown core (basically the area bounded by Lithia Way on the north, Third Street on the east, Hargadine Street on the south and Church Street on the west) for up to a year. A second related ordinance would clarify what behavior constituted nuisance behavior by dogs in the city. A third ordinance proposes to add the Bill Patton Gardens to the ELEA, causing citations in the garden to be included in the accumulation of qualifying offenses that constitute persistent violation. The Bill Patton Gardens, which are directly adjacent to the current boundary of the ELEA, are in Lithia Park directly south of OSF’s Elizabethan Theatre, west and southwest of the intersection of Pioneer, Fork and Hargadine streets. The city says the Ashland Police Department has seen ongoing behavior in the garden that would constitute the crime of persistent violation. Also on Tuesday’s agenda is an amendment to the Ashland Municipal Code to prohibit the keeping of large livestock in public spaces. The ordinance would clarify language in the AMC in response to residents recently grazing livestock in the downtown area which, according to city documents, has resulted in damage to property and unsanitary conditions. The study session begins at 5:30 p.m. Monday and the council’s regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Both meetings will take place in City Council Chamber at 1175 East Main St. in Ashland. Monday's session is streamed live on UStream (http://ustre.am/Ntzy), Tuesday's on Rogue Valley Community Television (rvtv.sou.edu/ashland). Alec Dickinson is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected] By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Nov. 1, 2015 at 3:57 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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