City council of La Crosse will consider restricting what activities should happen in parking ramps

If you’re inside a city-run parking ramp in La Crosse, you should be parking a vehicle or getting ready to leave the ramp.

Doing anything else there might be considered trespassing, under a proposal going before the city council this month, beginning Wednesday.

City police are trying to put added limits on activities such as camping, drug use, skateboarding, and public urination in the downtown ramps.

The ordinance to define trespassing in the ramps comes after many complaints from businesses, and from people visiting downtown.

That plan says people who linger in a ramp and engage in activities not related to parking a vehicle there could face a fine or a trespassing charge.

Police Chief Shawn Kudron stated in the staff report to the city that they have received complaints over the years about things like drug use, underage drinking or throwing items off the top level.

“The police department can not always obtain enough information to properly enforce the noted violations,” Kudron stated. “The creation of this Ordinance provides an additional tool to create a safer environment within the City Parking Facilities and for the users of these facilities.”

The council’s Judiciary and Administration Committee meets at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.