Pendleton City Council approves ordinance limiting time people can stay at a city bus stop

PENDLETON — People sticking around too long at a bus stop in Pendleton now face citations.

The Pendleton City Council during its regular meeting Tuesday, May 20, at Pendleton City Hall approved Ordinance 4032 prohibiting people from resting or storing personal belongings at bus stops for longer than an hour. The measure, which took effect immediately, aims to address ongoing concerns about public safety and accessibility at city bus stops.

Pendleton Police Chief Charles Byram, who requested modifications to the ordinance, and city attorney Nancy Kerns, who helped draft the revision, presented the proposal to amend the city’s Noncriminal Offenses Ordinance 3409.

Mayor McKennon McDonald said police encountered situations at public bus stops and benches that the existing ordinance did not cover. The department asked for clearer language regarding those spaces and requested the council review individual provisions.

“One of the things the council adjusted from what Nancy originally proposed was the removal of restricted hours,” McDonald said. “Instead of banning sleeping on public benches or tables during certain times, the ordinance now prohibits it entirely, regardless of the hour.”

Byram said officers enforce the ordinance if they observe someone occupying a bus shelter for more than an hour. For example, if an officer sees a person with belongings spread out at 12:20 p.m. and returns at 1:20 p.m. to find them still there, the police consider that individual is in violation of the city law.

“The ordinance itself is not an arrestable offense, but it can escalate to one if violations continue,” Byram said. “What it can do is get us to an arrestable offense.”

Officers may issue a citation and exclude individuals from the area for 30 days after a violation. A second violation can extend the exclusion to 90 days, and a third to one year. Returning during the exclusion period can lead to trespassing charges, which are arrestable offenses.

Byram added there is a monetary penalty associated with violation citations, which the municipal judge would determine.

In Pendleton, places such as the Promise Inn and the Pendleton Warming Station provide respite for people who are homeless. Although those resources are available, Byram said officers aren’t required to refer people to them but do so when possible. He said it’s up to each individual whether to take the advice.

“Quite honestly, the population we encounter daily is not new,” the police chief said. “They are repeat customers who already know about the resources available in the area. We can offer them information about other services, but many either choose not to use them or have been removed from those resources due to their conduct, which we encounter frequently.”

He said the situation has reached a point where some people who want to use public transportation are either afraid to do so because of those congregating at the stops or cannot find space to sit while waiting.

“What we hope this accomplishes,” Byram said, “is, in some small aspects, freeing up space and availability for those who want to legitimately use the public service for what it’s intended.”

McDonald said the new ordinance is one way the city is responding to community concerns about the unhoused population.

“The city council is trying to be responsive to the needs of the police department, to equip them with the best tools to address the concerns of the citizens,” she said. “This is something we will constantly monitor and evaluate to determine how best to address it in our community.”