Gilbert, AZ Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Gilbert § 42-293
- Scope
- all town parks and public places
- Exception
- parks & rec special-use/reservation permit only
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2514, Dec. 18, 2014
- Default penalty
- class one misdemeanor (§ 1-5(c))
Summary
Code of Gilbert § 42-293 bans camping in any town park or public place, full stop, unless the parks and recreation department has issued a special-use or reservation permit under the town's established procedures. The rule sits in Division 6. Urban Camping, defined broadly in § 42-291 to include tents, bedding, cooking, storing belongings, or living in a parked vehicle.
Sec. 42-293. - Camping in public places.(a)Camping prohibited. No person shall camp in any public park or place, except where specifically authorized by the town. Exception. The parks and recreation department may, in accordance with the town's established procedures, issue special use permits or reservation permits to authorize persons to camp or park vehicles overnight in a park or preserve. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prohibit camping or overnight parking sponsored or approved by the Town of Gilbert. (Ord. No. 2514, § I, 12-18-14)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102).
Full Breakdown
Division 6 of Chapter 42, added by Ord. No. 2514, § I, adopted December 18, 2014, defines 'camp' in § 42-291 to mean residing in or using a public park, street, or other public place for temporary or permanent living accommodation, expressly including erecting tents or shelters, digging or breaking earth, laying down bedding for sleeping, using 'camp paraphernalia' (tarpaulins, cots, sleeping bags, hammocks, blankets, non-town cooking gear), storing personal belongings, starting a fire, regularly cooking meals, or living in a parked vehicle. ' The only path around that ban is a special use or reservation permit issued by the parks and recreation department 'in accordance with the town's established procedures,' which the section clarifies can also cover town-sponsored or approved overnight vehicle parking.
'Public park' is defined by cross-reference to § 46-1 (all town parks and playgrounds), and 'public place' separately covers plazas, transportation facilities, bus stops, schools, attractions, monuments, and improved or unimproved public areas, reaching well beyond parks into most publicly owned open space in town.
Violations & Fines
Camping without authorization is a Code violation; since § 42-293 sets no separate civil sanction, it defaults to the general penalty in § 1-5(c), a class one misdemeanor with up to a $2,500.00 fine, six months in jail, or both, and because unauthorized camping is typically continuous, each day it persists is chargeable as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sleeping overnight in a Gilbert park ever allowed?
What counts as "camping" under Gilbert's ordinance?
Does the camping ban apply only to parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gilbert
Compare Gilbert to another location·View the Arizona homelessness & encampment rules overview
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