Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is accepting public comment on proposed updates to the rules for excluding individuals from Oregon State Parks who commit violations, including endangering the safety of visitors and staff (OAR 736-010-0020 and 736-021-0040).
The Exclusion Rule Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from the mental health community, attorneys, agency safety staff and park hosts, developed a set of recommendations to update the exclusion rules during a series of three public meetings.
The proposed updates will clarify the process for excluding individuals from Oregon State Parks who commit rule violations that endanger the safety of visitors, staff or park resources; provide clear information on how excluded individuals may request an appeal and how the appeals will be processed.
OPRD is accepting comments until 5 p.m. Nov. 3, 2023, and they can be made online, at a public hearing, in writing or via email:
Online: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/pages/PRP-rulemaking.aspx
Mail: OPRD Department, Attn: Katie Gauthier, 725 Summer St NE, Suite C, Salem OR 97301
Email: [email protected]
Virtual Public Hearing: 2 p.m. Oct. 30. Must register in advance to receive conference link. Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eWNdOpNMSlqyK1hWS2RExg
Individuals who require special accommodations for the meeting should contact Helena Kesch at least three days in advance of the meeting at [email protected] or 503-881-4637.
Oregon Parks and Rec seeks public comment on proposed rules for excluding individuals from Oregon State Parks
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How are they endangering others Are they using drugs and playing with weapons? Are they just being annoying? Or are some people over reacting because they don’t want to share a park with maybe others who might be less fortunate?
You can’t be excluded unless you commit a crime or violation. There is also a means to contest. This info is public as well.
I was excluded from Tualatin Valley hills p& r for simply parking my rv in their parking lot. Apparently, rvs are never allowed to park in their parking lot. So it would seem that I was actually excluded prior to committing any violation at all, simply being based on the vehicle I drive. This exclusion meant that for the entire summer, I couldn’t take my son to any of the parks or pools they have. Regardless of what vehicle I drove to get there. They took my picture involuntarily, and threatened arrest for criminal trespassing if their facial recognition found me anywhere in their parks or pools for a period of 6 months.
So you are being excluded for BREAKING THE RULES?
How scandalous!
Or are they menacing guests, leaving garbage, following park goers and destroying land I PAY TAXES on to maintain since I am employed and they want to get and destroy what isn’t theirs!
I would like to see in the rules that states “conceal carry allowed”.
Concealed carry holders are generally the most respectful, responsible, and tolerant as well as they have Sheriffs backing.
People endanger other people by drugs ,alcohol, not using the proper facilities to go to the Bathroom. Leaving trash all around their campsite,not knowing what in it. Like needles.
Just spent the weekend at Silver Falls State Park. It was a wonderful experience and a breath of fresh air. It was a weekend escape from the tragedies of living in Portland, open drug use, defecating on sidewalks and dead rats tossed into bike lanes along homeless encampments. I hope I will continue to be able to enjoy our State Parks when I need such a break from the unfortunate uncivilized behaviors in Oregon cities. Open drug use, defecating on public walkways and killing and tossing dead animals on bike paths should be violations. Put the restrictions in our State Parks now before these behaviors spread from Oregon cities.
People not understanding the roads in a state park are state Hwys, and are subject to a regular hwy, speed is a large factor.
Campers harassing hosts from time to time including arguing.
However rangers are involved when this occurs, but they shouldn’t have to take it and people just escorted out of park.
Nobody wants to hear yelling at someone etc.
We’re all out to have a good time.
No one said anything about the guns!hey’re talking about the Individuals who can’t or won’t use their common sense. Have you not read about the bisonThe elk And all the other creatures? Let’s not forget about people putting their body parts in scalding hot water. That’s clearly marked dangerous! I find it Hard to believe the obvious is not being seen by everyone. I think the human people are destroying everything. And now Yellowstone, and how much further does that really reach out? THE ENTIRE PLANET. !!!!!!!!!!
Yellowstone is a National Park. Oregon does not regulate National Parks
No more Rules for the law abiding citizens, you need to crack down on the Homless criminals that are destroying the environment, just for starters!
Actually the homeless to a degree do more than most to help the environment. Whether intentional or not. The recycle cans and bottles for money that non homeless people just throw away to go into the local landfill. On top of that, the amount of other still useable items that get saved by them that other people just toss because it’s easier to replace that anything else or don’t have time to fix up or dispose of appropriately so it doesn’t end up in a landfill. Now, granted, a lot of homeless also tend to be slobs behaving like their mom is gonna come around and clean up after them. So yes the can be messy but not the environmental terrors that people seem to think they are. If everybody recycled everything appropriately the homeless wouldn’t b able to earn money off of people’s recyclables.
So that’s incorrect oregon tax players will pay approx 13 million this year to help clean up homeless camps and their trash. Portland on average picks up 500,000 pounds of trash each month from these encampments. That’s not even considering how with the rain we get how bad the run off is into our rivers and soil. These camps are ruining oregon.
Agree with you
Okay this is how it is just my opinion I have experienced so much destruction going on in our cities here in Oregon due to the homeless I’m not saying all homeless are bad because they’re not but all it takes is One bad Apple to ruin everything for everybody our town our cities in Oregon are starting to look like nothing but one big dump then you see the problem is people don’t want the homeless around them because they don’t know how to respect the property or nothing they’re causing more damage to the property than anything so I don’t see very many of them here in coos Bay cleaning anything up they make the mess they leave it it’s horrible that’s just my opinion if you don’t like it sorry about that have a good day
Why not start with the criminals who are actually stealing the money that is meant to house the homeless?! They’re the REAL problem! Open door solutions –> charging the grant fund for a 2 year contract then terminating the client from the program after 3 months! Effectively putting the same person back out on the streets while keeping the $$ meant to house them for the duration of the 2 year contract??! I’m calling them out THIS IS THE REAL ACTUAL PROBLEM. The parks are meant for everyone to enjoy nature doesn’t discriminate against housed or unhoused, guns or no guns. The violations included with the exclusion should be well laid out and clear for us to know ahead of time before we cast the vote please!!
Agreed! Thank you!
I have massive reservations about the proposed updates. The state of Oregon has a track record in enforcing respectability politics through our exclusion laws and policies. Continuing to force “undesirable” people/groups out of public spaces and even out of public life is not only inhumane but also is totally ineffective.
Those who interfere with the wild animals in the park through their own actions or those of their pets shouldn’t be allowed in the parks.
I volunteered at Oregon State Parks for 5 years. Cleaning up sites and cabins. I also hosted at Silver Falls Lodge. It was so sad to watch how the distuctive behavior of a few make it bad for the majority. Yes, if you are engaging in activity that endangers others or intrudes on others enjoyment of our beautiful Parks then you should be excluded from being able to use them.
Exactly, people all need to be subjected to the rules. If one use is cutting off others from enjoying a place within its intended use, the intended use should be protected. We vote on this and pay taxes so we can have parks and places that are designated for certain uses.
Absolutely, anyone who is a danger to others or refuses to follow the rules should be excluded.
Only problem I’ve ever had was park hosts telling me I can’t clean my catch in park as I’m camping in park. Due to covid I was told few years ago. I have been back this summer and cleaning station is still closed and now we pay more? We have been camping fishing at Barview for 40 years . Thank you!
Can we add people who play loud country music to this list? I want to enjoy nature when I am camping, not hear men whine about their trucks.
Let’s not turn this into ‘bash the homeless’. Drunk (people), wasted individuals, and those who are disrespectful of others, and the environment can come from any socioeconomic background. Violation of camping rules should not be tolerated. Harassment of others and wildlife should not be tolerated. Defacement of public property should not be tolerated. Nor should drug use or public excretion. Any of these can be done by anyone regardless of their economic situation. Let’s not loose sight of this. We should all follow the policy of treating others and the environment with respect and leaving as small a foot print as possible in our public parks.
If u there is a problem,warn them once then put them on a to watch list!
There is enough rules,someone is going to cause trouble at the park .that’s why we have Rangers and police.
Please have rules and enforce them.
I know people have no common sense. We do not want this to get out of hand, and Park Rangers having to carry firearms like the USFS.
Of course there should be regulations and rules and laws. But what is sad is that it’s a continuous battle when it comes to the beautiful land of this earth. There are such an overwhelming number of people there has to be boundaries without fences on these lands for the ones that respect the land to look, feel and enjoy, encompass trees, lakes, hills, mountains, rivers. There will Always be the ones out there that does not respect. That’s why all of you have to continue to voice and vote.
1. Allow weapons for protection in parks.
2. Everything else will be guided by #1.
Everyday responsible people who have jobs and homes don’t just one day decide to go out and get high in public. You can’t go do drugs in the park, you can’t go and move into the park, you can’t harass people who are at the park. And you can’t leave garbage everywhere. Any of these things should get you excluded, period!
Why are they trying to exclude, I couldn’t find anything on this. I have a person to person crime from 27 years ago when I was 15. Does that mean I’m gonna get screwed over and not be able to use Oregon state parks camp grounds despite me never committing another crime in my life and being a functioning member of society that pays taxes?
We could go old school, and just post signs that easily, respectfully, and kindly remind them. To keep people behaving well, I propose that each forest ranger and park hosts walk the beat, as they used to say, with a roaming Smokey the Bear for the kiddies,… No guns or violence, please,. Think positive reinforcement.
Will violations include calling a man a man when he wants to be called a woman, or otherwise disagreeing with a democrat? They’re trying to imprison people for that in Michigan.
You make it sound like if you’re a single person with or without children you are excluded from using or visiting a state park and with us all having to pay taxes for the upkeep of these grounds is a great way to get a lot of lawsuits against the state park service which would be a further waste of our tax payer money!
I wonder how many of those people will be harmless and homeless? Don’t believe a single word they say; the Rest area was closed evenings for the same BS excuse. They had people park there at night sometimes. I literally live across the freeway and can see everything. The excuse was having the rest area open at night caused too much work on them, they can get more done if people are not parked and sleeping.
State employees that are not DPSST Certified don’t do anything but glorified minimal janitorial dutys…. notice to that 60%> of these state employees have a relative or family member also employed through the state and in the same department no less.
I support my sherrifs, police and public officials, but these self elected bureaucrats in job positions like these:
https://images.app.goo.gl/vzFJG7gn3fpsrAG9A
This is a no-brainer. If I walk into a store and harass the employees or other patrons, I’ll be asked to leave, and likely to never come back. This should be the same.
Get the state in order with the laws that are in place already. Do not make new agencies to do what is already a state wide statute. Clean up our cities first. Less government.