City council delays possible changes that could further restrict camping in La Crosse parks

La Crosse’s city council will wait a month before deciding on whether to change rules regulating camping in city parks.

By a 9-2 vote Thursday, the council referred action on amended camping regulations until its July meeting.

Thirty people submitted letters to the council in opposition. Six wrote letters in support. Nine more people signed into the meeting in opposition, with four of them speaking to the council. One person signed into the meeting in support of the legislation.

La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron told the council that they’re hoping people will voluntarily comply with requests to avoid camping.

“We’re gonna ask individuals to not be camping in the park, to find a different area in the city to do that activity,” Kudron said.

The new proposal had been fast-tracked, without the usual committee hearing process.

Council members said they want another month to speak with their neighbors about letting the homeless stay in city parks. The suggested ordinance would make camping illegal, where there are signs prohibiting it.

Council member Jenesea Hameister called the ordinance proposal “ineffective and immoral.”

“In my opinion, this does criminalize homelessness more than it already is,” Hameister told the council. “We do have to do more for our unsheltered population, and for those who want to receive help. The language in this ordinance does the opposite, and impacts more than just the unsheltered population.”

Another council member, Barb Janssen, said people living near some parks report being harassed by those who are tenting in parks, for lack of other housing.