Lacey, WA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Chapter 8.10 LMC governs camping in the City of Lacey. Section 8.10.010 makes it unlawful to camp in any park, on any street, or in any publicly owned parking lot or publicly owned area, improved or unimproved, except as authorized under the park rules and regulations approved under LMC 2.44.060 or as otherwise provided by ordinance. Section 8.10.020 separately bars storing personal property, including camp facilities and camp paraphernalia, in the same places.

Section 8.10.030 supplies the definitions. To camp is to pitch, use or occupy camp facilities for habitation, as evidenced by camp paraphernalia. Camp facilities include tents, huts, temporary shelters, and vehicles being used as temporary living quarters. Camp paraphernalia includes tarpaulins, cots, beds, sleeping bags, blankets, mattresses, hammocks and cooking facilities or equipment. Street covers every highway, lane, road, right-of-way, boulevard and alley open as a matter of right to public vehicular travel.

Section 8.10.050 adds an enforcement limit for conduct between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Before any citation, the investigating officer must inquire whether the camping is due to homelessness. If so, the officer decides under department policy whether adequate shelter space is available. If all shelter space is full, no citation issues. If space is available, the officer has discretion to cite under § 8.10.040 and can also give directions to the shelter or offer one-time transport. The limit does not apply in areas zoned residential, where camping is never allowed.

The chapter prints no cleanup, notice-and-removal or property storage protocol for encampments.