NE Valley Times

During the Aug. 22 Fountain Hills town council meeting, members of the council approved two of the three ordinances pushed forward by Councilman Allen Skillicorn, meant to curb homelessness in the community and increase safety for residents and tourists. 

The three ordinances were Ordinance 23-11, 23-12, and 23-13. Ordinance 23-11, dubbed Pedestrians in the Roadway, prohibits pedestrians from loitering in the roadway and medians. This ordinance, which passed 4-3, will increase traffic and pedestrian safety, which multiple members of the public commented on during the discussion of the ordinance. Council members Peggy McMahon, Mayor Ginny Dickey, and Sharron Grzybowski voted in opposition. 

The other ordinance to pass, Ordinance 23-13, is directed at urban camping. The ordinance will prevent sleeping, camping, and building encampments in any public streets, parkways, or right of ways. The aim is to prevent something like “The Zone” in Phoenix, a multi block, year-round homelessness encampment, from starting in Fountain Hills. The ordinance passed 5-2, with Peggy McMahon and Sharron Grzybowski voting against. 

The ordinance not passed was Ordinance 23-12 which seeks to prevent aggressive solicitation. “In the ordinance it says ‘it is our desire to protect the citizens from fear and intimidation,’” Skillicorn said. “That’s exactly what we’re doing here. We want to protect the people and the residents and the people visiting us, from fear and intimidation, from aggressive solicitation.” Councilmembers Brenda Kalivianakis, Peggy McMahon, Mayor Ginny Dickey, and Sharron Grzybowski opposed the ordinance. McMahon said that she was concerned that it would violate the first and eighth amendments and bring the town legal troubles.