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ORDINANCE 1682ORDINANCE NO. 1682 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS 7-8-3 AND 7-8- 4 OF CHAPTER 8 (PROHIBITED CAMPING) TO TITLE 7 (NUISANCES AND OFFENSES) OF THE EL SEGUNDO MUNICPAL CODE EXPANDING ITS ANTI -CAMPING PROHIBITIONS TO INCLUDE CERTAIN PORTIONS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY AND TO ENSURE ACCESS TO NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THE CITY COUNCIL DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Findings. The City Council finds and declares as follows: A. The California Constitution provides that a city may make and enforce within its limits all local, police, sanitary and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general law; B. The City of El Segundo ("City") and its City Council are committed to protecting the life, health, and safety of its residents and all people within the geographical boundaries of the City; C. The City and its City Council are committed to protecting the rights of individuals who cannot obtain shelter and to treating their personal property with respect and consideration; D. On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson et al. case, upholding Grants Pass's ordinance prohibiting camping on public property to tackle the issue of homelessness; E. In July 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-1-24, ordering state agencies to adopt policies to address encampments on state property and encouraging local governments to adopt similar polices "and to use all available resources and infrastructure" to combat homelessness; F. In September 2024, in response to the Grants Pass decision, the City adopted Ordinance No. 1664 expanding its camping prohibitions within public parks and beaches, and prohibiting using vehicles for human habitation in specified public areas; G. In July 2025, U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order titled "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets" in which he identified the homelessness crisis and ordered his administration to seek civil commitments of individuals with mental illness or are living on the streets and cannot care for themselves; H. Unauthorized camping can create health and safety risks related to the accumulation of trash, food waste, human waste, and contaminated medical waste; To mitigate risks to health and safety of its citizens, the City Council desires to adopt regulations further expanding its anti -camping prohibition to strengthen the protection of individual and public safety as well as ensure pedestrian accessibility rights throughout the City. SECTION 2. Section 7-8-3 of the El Segundo Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows (deletions in stFikethFew^" and additions in dQ.:� . .0 d r GG ...m ) 7-8-3 CAMPING PROHIBITED A. No person may occupy a campsite in or upon any sidewalk, street, alley, lane, public right of way, park, bench, or any other publicly -owned property or under any bridge or viaduct, unless (i) otherwise specifically authorized by this Code or (ii) upon City Council resolution, the City Council may exempt a special event from the prohibitions of this section, if the City Council finds such exemption to be in the public interest and consistent with their goals and notices and in accordance with conditions imposed by the City Council. Any conditions imposed will include a condition requiring that the applicant provide evidence of adequate insurance coverage and agree to indemnify the City for any liability, damage or expense incurred by the City as a result of activities of the applicant. Any findings by the City Council shall specify the exact dates and location covered by the exemption. mel • w s oiljai. h * � s • - It Ordinance No. 1682 Page 2 of 5 SECTION 3. Section 7-8-4 of the El Segundo Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows (deletions in strikethr,,u and additions in .�?�, Upon discovery of a campsite rn—e `ol iq f� chapter en- publiG rem removal of the campsite by the Police Department, or designee, may occur under the following circumstances: A. Prior to removing the campsite, the City shall post a notice, 24-hours in advance. B. At the time a 24-hour notice is posted, the City shall inform a local agency delivering social services to homeless people of the location of the campsite. C. After the 24-hour notice period has passed, the Police Department, or designee, is authorized to remove the campsite and all personal property related thereto. D. The foregoing notwithstanding, campsite removal may proceed without the above -referenced notice only if an imminent threat to the public health, safety, and welfare exists (e.g., fire on site) that requires immediate removal to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. SECTION 4. Environmental Assessment. The City Council finds that this Ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. In the alternative, the City Council finds that the Ordinance falls within the "common sense" exemption set forth in State CEQA Guidelines section 15061, subdivision (b)(3), which exempts activity from CEQA where "it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment." SECTION 5. Severability. If any part of this Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the city council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provisions or applications and, to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are severable. SECTION 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after adoption. Ordinance No. 1682 Page 3 of 5 SECTION 7. Publication. The City Clerk is directed to certify the passage and adoption of this Ordinance causing it to be posted as required by law. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 20th day of January, 2026. ATTEST: a, City/Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM Mark D. Hensley, City "ttdrney Chris Pimentel, Mayor Ordinance No. 1682 Page 4 of 5 CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS CITY OF EL SEGUNDO ) I, Susan Truax, City Clerk of the City of El Segundo, California, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing Ordinance No. 1682 was duly introduced by said City Council at a regular meeting held on the 16t" day of December, 2025, and was duly passed, and adopted by said City Council, approved and signed by the Mayor, and attested to by the City Clerk, all at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 20t" day of January, 2026, and the same was so passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Mayor Pimentel, Mayor Pro Tern Baldino, Council Member Giroux, and Council Member Keldorf NOES: None ABSENT: Council Member Boyles ABSTAIN: None WITNESS MY HAND THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF SAID CI7 this 2011 day of January, 2026. ,, usaf Truax, City Clerk ,ie City of El Segundo, California Ordinance No. 1682 Page 5 of 5