KSL TV
South Jordan is tackling camping on public property, after finding more homeless camps along the Jordan River trail.
Officers were finding more and more of these campsites, sometimes with needles and waste left behind.
“It created challenges as far as cleaning up the campsites, and asking people to move on.”
South Jordan Planning director Steven Schaefermeyer says a new ordinance gives the city more help.
“It’s all about giving our officers another tool, to address these potentially dangerous or public health situations.”
They did not have something like this in place, while cities around them and Salt Lake County did. The first interaction will be a warning and education about resources that are available.
The health department has received 300 to 500 complaints for public camping every year around the county.