The Colorado Springs City Council will hear a proposal to standardize camping bans on public property and include restrictions on vehicle camping months earlier than expected.

Members had voted on Nov. 10 to postpone for six months an ordinance that would bring ordinances pertaining to illegal camping in city limits, such as near waterways and in local parks, under one municipal law that would equalize policies and penalties for violators.

But instead of taking up the issue on May 12 as the City Council had decided last year, the proposal, with some tweaks, will be brought forth on Feb. 24 for an initial hearing and a final reading on March 10.

The vote: six members approved moving the date, two opposed that and one member was absent.

Councilmember Nancy Henjum said she removed the item from the consent calendar at Tuesday’s meeting and voted against moving it to the next regular meeting because she thought the ordinance was created “in a silo” by another councilmember and without consultation with homeless service providers, government agencies and other organizations.

While she said she sees the proposed ordinance as “well-intended,” as some residents said they were concerned about people parking on the streets in their neighborhoods, she’s concerned about “transparency” and “downstream impacts.”

Councilmember David Leinweber said he supported moving the topic up for discussion and decision-making because he thinks Colorado Springs police need further law enforcement direction and abilities.

“The idea of this law is just to say ‘no camping’ and do a broad spectrum,” he said. “As a city do we want to allow people to camp just wherever they want to? No. We need to give a clear simple (message) and make laws understandable.”

Leinweber said while the new ordinance likely would have an effect on the homeless community, it “won’t change what we have. This was to simplify and make it easier that on all public land we do not allow camping, unless you get a permit.”