CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Unauthorized overnight camping along Crow Creek is now illegal following action from Cheyenne City councilmembers at their regular meeting this afternoon.
With the exception of Councilmember Richard Johnson, the council voted to pass on third and final reading the anti-camping ordinance, along with its proposed substitution.
Between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m., no person is allowed to use or occupy any public property adjacent or contiguous to the creek between Interstate 25 and Morrie Avenue. Anyone who violates this is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six months, a fine of not more than $750.00, or both. The curfew does not apply to any person actively using the Greater Cheyenne Greenway located within the area as a means to commute or travel for business or recreational purposes. An unauthorized campsite can also be subject to abatement by the city’s Compliance Department if staff find it to be a health and public safety hazard.
The 150-mile-long creek and minor waterway runs through southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado. Sixty-six miles of the creek flow through Cheyenne and agricultural lands in southeast Laramie County. Parts of the Greenway, a citywide concrete pedestrian and biking path, are built along the creek. In recent years, community members have become concerned about the growing number of homeless encampments along the creek’s bank.
The ordinance, which is the first of its kind, states that unauthorized camping along the creek creates environmental and safety hazards for the community. The buildup of trash, human waste and other materials also damages the water quality and can cause fire hazards. Campers also pose a threat to residents and property owners in the surrounding area, the ordinance states.
The first draft of the ordinance proposed a full ban on camping along the creek. The substitute, which was brought up and recommended by the Public Service Committee, recommended a curfew instead.
Before the council approved the substitute, ordinance co-sponsor Pete Laybourn said the curfew will bring a positive change to Crow Creek.
“It’s definitely positive,” he said during the meeting. “I think that the substitute clearly deals with issues that were raised. … We’re really excited about getting to work over there and making it what it can be.”
Councilmember Michelle Aldrich said she agrees with Laybourn.
“This is hopefully a good resolution to remedy the health and safety of that creek area and getting that Greenway space turned back over to people who can use it and feel safe using it,” she said during the meeting.
