West Lafayette considering restrictions on panhandling

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. − The first reading on legislation that restricts panhandling and other activities within 50 feet of a roadway, median or public right-of-way was approved at its first reading Monday night at the West Lafayette City Council meeting.

An ordinance restricting unsafe activities around roadways and traffic

This ordinance, sponsored by West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis and presented by West Lafayette Police Chief Troy Harris, prohibits activities and movement within certain areas of the city.

The official language of the ordinance is as follows:

"It shall be unlawful for a pedestrian to sit, stand or move within or upon a roadway, or a median between two (2) roadways, or within the public right-of-way not exceeding fifty (50) feet from the traveled portion of any intersection controlled by an automatic traffic signal or stop sign, for the purpose of or while engaged in...

"Soliciting, or peddling, selling, advertising, donating, or distributing any product, property, or service, including but not limited to tickets, handbills, newspapers, or other printed material, to or from an occupant of a vehicle in the roadway; or...Conversation or discourse with an occupant of a vehicle in the roadway."

This ordinance comes from a place of public safety and education, according to Harris.

"The complaints (called in about panhandlers) range from the panhandlers are rude, they're aggressive, they're blocking traffic, and then we ended up getting road rage incidents between some of our drivers and disrupting the traffic pattern."

Violations of this ordinance upon a second offense will result in a $50 fine, different than the $100 fine currently listed in the official ordinance documentation. This is due to an amendment that was approved Monday night to reduce the fine.

"Our first response is to educate any panhandlers," Harris said. "One, offer any services. If they would like to have any services, whether that be any sort of assistance with bills that they may have or assistance finding employment. And more than that, just educate them on the new ordinance."

West Lafayette resident Kirsten Gibson spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting about this ordinance.

"People asking for money are at risk to themselves. They don't even have $50. We should address this issue with compassion and empathy, rather than criminalize and fine people who are already economically vulnerable."

Harris provided his response to the Journal & Courier.

"I don't disagree with (Gibson), with what she's saying," Harris said. "Nobody wants to do this, you (would) think. You wouldn't want to believe that somebody wants to be out there panhandling (to) pay the bills. And we are certainly sympathetic to that. Which is why we do offer services.

"That's why we will get our social worker involved if we need to."

This ordinance will have its second of two readings of the December 2022 West Lafayette city council meeting.

The "anti-Airbnb" ordinance

Ordinance No. 35-22, which amends certain portions of the unified zoning ordinance of Tippecanoe County, adds some "hoops to jump through" for those who want to host an Airbnb at their residence.

Board member Nick DeBoer was the only councilman to oppose the ordinance.

"We have this city rental program in place," DeBoer said. "If you're going to be renting out a property, and you have to go through this anyway, right, whether it's a short-term rental or a longer term one, that should be sufficient. I'm still pretty sure that is sufficient."

Words and terms defined/changed in the ordinance includes, "The owner of a dwelling desiring to use such dwelling for a transient guest room or as a transient guest rental or as a transient guest house shall first obtain a permit for such use from the appropriate Administrative Officer....The exterior of a dwelling... shall not bemodified (or if built new, constructed) in any way that substantiallylessens its basic appearance as a dwelling;

"and...no exterior signage shall be permitted for a transient guest rental, ora transient guest house."

According to DeBoer, adding more steps to having a certified "dwelling" fit for use as an Airbnb or similar temporary lodging is unneccesary.

"We already certify you that (your dwelling) is good enough, you are meeting all the code in the city...This just feels like an extra hoop to jump through when we're already doing that so. At the end of the day, it's really just people who want to discourage Airbnbs."

This ordinance passed 8 to one 1 its first and final reading.

The early beginnings of two new funds for opioid litigation

A total of $600,000 to be distributed over the next 18 years to two newly approved funds - the Opioid-Restricted and Opioid-Unrestricted funds - was approved at city council as well.

The future plans for the locations and uses for these funds are in the very early stages, however.

"So this is really in its infancy," Harris said. "Tonight there were two funds established, restricted and unrestricted. And I am trying to, one, find out the definition of each (funds). And what I do know is that these funds will come in over the period of (nearly) 20 years.

"So it's a significant period of time, and each year is different on what that money will (be used for)."

Future plans for the funds will possibly include its own delegated board to help determine its uses.

"I think we will talk with our council members and we'll get some substance abuse counselors, maybe even some people who have battled addiction in the past and get some first-hand knowledge on what those funds would be best used for."

This ordinance unanimously passed on its first and only reading.

A unanimous plea to keep the West Lafayette BMV in operation

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles recently posted an announcement stating that public hearing was held last month regarding the closure of the West Lafayette BMV branch, located at 720 W. Navajo St.

A resolution, sponsored by all nine of the board members calls for the maintenance of the West Lafayette BMV. Official documentation attributes West Lafayette's continuously growing population, especially with members that include international Purdue students and the elderly who may especially need the services of their local BMV.

"The city’s population features a large percentage of both retirees and foreign students who could benefit from in-person contact with the state bureaucracy," the resolution states. "...The state is now considering closing the local branch of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (and) public sentiment in West Lafayette is uniformly opposed to this closure."

As board member David Sanders, along with a few other councilors noted, they have not heard of a single supportive voice in favor of this closure.

Margaret Christopherson is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email her at mchristopherson@jconline.com and follow her on Twitter @MargaretJC2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: West Lafayette considering restrictions on panhandling