Fort Smith, AR Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- City parks, not citywide
- Exception
- Designated park camping area only
- Companion rule
- Open fires limited to picnic stoves
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor fine under § 1-9
Summary
Fort Smith prohibits overnight camping and sleeping in city parks except in a specifically designated park area, the operative anti-encampment rule in the code since there is no separate citywide public-camping ordinance.
Overnight camping and sleeping is prohibited except in a designated park area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 18-65 bars overnight camping and sleeping in city parks outside a designated park area. It sits in Article III, Park Rules, alongside the campfire ban (§ 18-64, open fires limited to provided picnic stoves) and the park curfew (§ 18-68). The parks and recreation commission conducts trespass-warning review hearings tied to rule violations under § 18-34(7). The code does not extend a camping or encampment restriction to sidewalks, rights-of-way, or other public property outside park areas.
Violations & Fines
Violating any park rule, including the camping ban, is a misdemeanor under § 18-58, punishable by a fine under the general penalty schedule in § 1-9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fort Smith ban camping in public parks?
Does this cover camping on sidewalks or other public land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Smith
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