BOULDER, Colo. — When Terri Brncic started collecting petition signatures with other Boulder parents in late March, she said the situation outside local schools was alarming.
"One of our founders, her daughter was actually lunged at going to school one day. My child actually was running track when we had a propane tank explode on the perimeter of the school. The track team had to actually be evacuated," Brncic said.
She and others formed the group Safe Zones 4 Kids to address the issue of encampments near school grounds by adjusting the current law on prohibited items in public places, and prioritizing enforcement around schools.
"It's not okay for our kids to be watching open-air meth use and fentanyl use, having propane tanks explode outside their school. It's not okay," Brncic said.
Items like tents, propane tanks and temporary shelters are already prohibited on Boulder public property unless granted with a permit. Safe Zones 4 Kids collected petition signatures to amend the city code to prioritize the removal of prohibited items at least 500 feet away from schools and 50 feet away from multi-use pathways like sidewalks and trails.
The petition eventually garnered 3,784 verified signatures, which exceeded the 3,437 signature requirement.
While the ordinance language specifically targets prohibited items, critics say laws like this actually target people.
"We certainly understand that the safety of kids being able to get to and from school is really critical. But just moving people away from certain areas, and especially public spaces, isn't going to resolve homelessness. It's not going to provide more housing, it's not going to provide more supportive services," said Cathy Alderman, public policy officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
Alderman said eliminating the visibility of people in certain areas will not eliminate homelessness. She suggests city leaders consider a more comprehensive and compassionate approach.
"We would just encourage all of these communities to take a step back and say, 'How can we invest in solutions?' instead of continuing down the path of trying to eliminate the visible problem, or somehow enforce their way out of homelessness, which frankly, hasn't worked anywhere. All we have to do is look to Denver is that perfect example of where camping bans don't work," said Alderman.
Boulder City Council on Thursday approved to accept the petition and sent the issue to the voters. The proposed ordinance will appear on the ballot for the November 7 general municipal election.
The final title for the ballot measure will be decided at a public hearing on August 3.
