Bend, OR Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- BC 4.20.030(D) manner rules
- Gray/black water dumping
- Prohibited into storm drains
- Garbage/hazardous materials
- May not be left behind
- Open flames/bonfires
- Barred if Fire and Rescue deems unsafe
- Camp footprint cap
- 12 ft by 12 ft (144 sq ft)
- Violation
- Class C civil infraction (BC 4.20.035)
Summary
Where camping in the Bend right-of-way is allowed, Bend Code § 4.20.030(D) bars dumping gray or black water, accumulating garbage or hazardous materials, open flames and bonfires unsafe per Bend Fire and Rescue, and unauthorized utility connections. Violations bring a Class C civil infraction and can trigger removal of the camp.
d. Individuals may not accumulate, discard, or leave behind garbage, debris, unsanitary or hazardous materials, or other items of no apparent utility in public rights-of-way, on City property, or on any adjacent public or private property. e. Open flames, recreational fires, burning of garbage, bonfires, or other fires, flames, or heating deemed unsafe by Bend Fire and Rescue are prohibited. Types of cooking stoves and other devices for keeping warm are permitted, as allowed by adopted City policies. f. Dumping of gray water (i.e., wastewater from baths, sinks, and the like) or black water (i.e., sewage) into any facilities or places not intended for gray water or black water disposal is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to storm drains, which are not intended for disposal of gray water or black water. g. Unauthorized connections or taps to electrical or other utilities, or violations of building, fire, or other relevant codes or standards, are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
020. The manner rules in subsection (D) are largely sanitation-driven: individuals may not accumulate, discard, or leave behind garbage, debris, or unsanitary or hazardous materials in the right-of-way, on City property, or on adjacent property; open flames, recreational fires, bonfires, or burning of garbage are barred whenever Bend Fire and Rescue deems them unsafe, though permitted cooking stoves and warming devices remain allowed; dumping gray water from baths or sinks, or black water sewage, into storm drains or any facility not meant for it is prohibited outright; and unauthorized taps or connections to electrical or other utilities are barred, along with any violation of building or fire codes.
The same subsection caps a camp's footprint at 12 feet by 12 feet (144 square feet), limits a block to three camps with 150 feet between camp groups, and requires all animals to be leashed or crated at all times. 035: citations are issued only after enforcement personnel give the person a chance to cure, and a violation can lead to removal of the camp materials and any accumulated garbage or hazardous items under the procedures in subsection (C) of that section.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the sanitation rules in BC 4.20.030(D) is a Class C civil infraction under BC 4.20.035(A), issued only after a person has had a reasonable opportunity to cure. Camp materials, garbage, or hazardous items left in violation may be removed by the City or its contractors, generally after a 72-hour posted notice, except in an exceptional emergency such as hazardous-material contamination or danger to life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people dump wastewater from a Bend homeless encampment into a storm drain?
What sanitation rules apply to camping in Bend's rights-of-way?
What happens if a Bend encampment violates the sanitation rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bend
Compare Bend to another location·View the Oregon homelessness & encampment rules overview
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