Amendment would give police more authority to ban people for chronic disruptive behavior; SOU’s campus plan and enhanced climate incentives are also on agenda

Ashland.news staff report

The Ashland City Council will have a second reading of an ordinance amendment aimed at giving law enforcement more flexibility in excluding people from downtown areas for “chronic negative behavior” during its business meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 7, according to the city’s meeting agenda.

The second reading follows a 4-2 vote for approval on the first reading at last month’s business meeting. Councilors Eric Hansen and Bob Kaplan dissented.

Ashland has two Enhanced Law Enforcement Areas: one in the downtown corridor and another, added last year, covering Ashland Street to Exit 14.

Under the current ordinance, Ashland police must wait for a municipal judge to determine whether someone has violated the law before seeking their exclusion from the two designated areas — a process that Police Chief Tighe O’Meara said can take years, depending on the case.

The proposed amendment would lower the threshold for law enforcement to ban repeat offenders for “chronic negative behavior.”

Three-incident threshold

The amendment would allow officers to petition a judge for a ban after documenting three distinct incidents that demonstrate a pattern of disruptive or unlawful behavior. O’Meara pointed out that illegal camping is not among the offenses that would lead to exclusion.

O’Meara has also emphasized that people banned from ELEAs would still be allowed access to essential services such as medical care, groceries and social services. Variances could be granted for other needs, such as attending community meals.

Nonetheless, the proposed changes have been a source of controversy. In May, former City Councilor Eric Navickas was arrested after a disruption at a council meeting while opposing ELEA policies. Last month, Torin McKnight, a critic of the amendment, was escorted from the meeting after he accused O’Meara of authoritarian tactics and called him a fascist.

In their dissent, Hansen and Kaplan cited concerns over the ordinance’s constitutionality and its potential to further criminalize unhoused people.

Hansen said nobody from the community had come out to support the amendment during the public comment period.

Trina Sanford, a resident, wrote in a Sept. 17 email to Hansen that she and others have submitted written testimony in support of the proposed changes to city leaders.

Sanford said that a crowd behind her protested vocally when she expressed public support during a business meeting. She said she felt unsafe leaving the meeting and had an officer walk her to her car.

“Perhaps my experience explains why others choose not to speak publicly,” she said. “It isn’t because they don’t care or lack opinions; it’s because the atmosphere in that room can be hostile, intimidating and unsafe.”

SOU-related ordinances

City leaders will hold a public hearing on Tuesday to revisit three ordinances related to the adoption of Southern Oregon University’s Facilities Master Plan following concerns raised by the university over the application of conditional use permits.

Councilors in July approved a plan allowing for taller buildings and solar installations at the university. According to city officials, a 70-foot-high building would require a conditional permit.

Officials said the greater height limits would give the university more flexibility as it seeks to create partnerships for a senior housing project, setting the stage for what they believe would be a more sustainable financial model to ease SOU’s financial woes.

According to meeting documents, SOU has requested revisions to the ordinance language, citing ambiguity in the current draft that could unintentionally require conditional use permits for most campus work. That might include routine improvements, such as signage, landscaping and other modifications, if they are within 50 feet of private property.

The university’s request comes on the heels of a $10 million budget overhaul and a new funding landscape. According to the new rules, the state will fund only academic buildings. Colleges are on their own for others.

“SOU and all universities are having to look to third-party partners to provide construction financing who expect a return on their funding and require additional clarity,” Rob Patridge, SOU’s general counsel, wrote in a letter to city leaders.

Climate incentives

Councilors will hear the city’s 2025 Climate and Energy Action Plan report at Tuesday’s business meeting, along with a proposed plan to expand conservation incentives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy incentives.

At the meeting, Chad Woodward, the city’s climate and energy analyst, will discuss Ashland’s progress in decreasing greenhouse gases and introducing improved metrics — specifically for tracking transportation emissions so that they can be locally measurable on an annual basis.

Along with the report, staff are recommending a new slate of climate incentives that will focus on switching fuels, energy efficiency upgrades and electric vehicle support.

The proposals include increased rebates for heat pumps and water heaters, up to $1,500 for certain systems doubling the rebate amount for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty limit, including a $2,000 rebate for electric vehicles; and a new “electric ready” incentive offering up to $1,000 for electrical panel upgrades, with full cost coverage for qualifying low-income households.

The proposal would not eliminate any existing incentives, according to meeting documents. The staff believes the projections bear out that the program can be supported by the current conservation budget, provided demand does not exceed expectations.

Study session canceled

The city’s regular study session that was scheduled for Monday, Oct. 6, has been canceled, according to the city’s webpage.

Tuesday’s business meeting begins at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Ashland City Council chamber at 1175 E. Main St.

Proceedings are cablecast live on Channel 9 (or 180), streamed online at rvtv.sou.edu (RVTV Prime), and posted online the day after the meeting.

Email Ashland.news associate editor Steve Mitchell at [email protected].

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Ashland City Council moves forward with first reading of tougher exclusion laws (Sept. 17, 2025)

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Ashland City Council considers changes to enhanced law enforcement area (Feb. 21, 2025)

Ashland to have a second enhanced law enforcement area — and reopened Community Center (Dec. 19, 2024)

Ashland police: Added Enhanced Law Enforcement Area is a useful tool (Dec. 16, 2024)

Ashland City Council to vote on second reading of Enhanced Law Enforcement Area ordinance (Dec. 15, 2024)

Ashland City Council approves expulsion area for south side of town along Ashland Street (Dec. 6. 2024)

Ashland City Council balks at potential expulsion zone changes (Nov. 22, 2024)