West Valley City, UT Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Section 4-3-105, "Hours and Use of City Property," first sets a general closing window: "All public property, excluding public streets and parks, shall be closed to the public between the hours of 11 P.M. and 6 A.M. unless otherwise posted at the property or authorized by ordinance, executive order, or direction of the City Manager." Streets and parks are carved out of that clause because parks already carry their own closing-hour rule under § 4-1-126.

The camping ban is written separately and applies City-wide, not just during closed hours: "Camping is prohibited on public property." The section defines the term broadly: "'Camping' shall mean the use of public property as a temporary or permanent place of dwelling, lodging, residence, or living accommodation. 'Camping' includes, but is not limited to, the storage of personal belongings, the laying down of bedding for the purpose of sleeping, and cooking activities outside authorized cooking areas." That definition reaches encampment activity item by item, storing belongings, bedding down to sleep, or cooking outside a designated area, rather than requiring proof of an established campsite.

The same section separately bars temporary structures: "The erection of tents, canopies, or other structures on public property is prohibited," though tents or canopies may go up at a City park "in connection with an approved event if prior authorization is obtained." Subsection (4) sets the penalty: "The violation of this Section shall be a class 'C' misdemeanor," adopted by Ordinance No. 16-52 on November 25, 2016, a lower-level offense than the class B misdemeanor that governs most Chapter 4-1 park violations.