Proposed Summerville ordinance would ban illegal camping on public and private property

Update: The public safety committee voted to approve and bring the ordinance in front of the entire Summerville Town Council on Thursday night.

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SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – Town leaders in Summerville are considering a new ordinance that would make it illegal to camp on both public and private property without permission.

The proposed ordinance is set for discussion and a potential vote during Monday night’s meeting of the Public Safety Committee on Summerville Town Council.

It would give law enforcement the authority to clear encampments from areas like sidewalks, parks, trails, waterways, and even vacant lots, as well as private property, unless the person has written permission from the landowner.

The proposal would require police to post a 24-hour notice before removing tents, belongings, or structures. Items left behind could then be stored or discarded.

Mayor Russ Touchberry said the town’s focus is public safety and consistency with surrounding jurisdictions.

“The foundation of municipal government is public safety,” said Mayor Touchberry. “This is about strengthening property rights and making sure we’re treating similar areas the same, especially since our town spans three counties.”

Touchberry emphasized that police are trained to handle enforcement with care and connect people to local resources, including through a crisis intervention team.

But Ginny Vincini, the executive director of Keys to Change, said the town doesn’t have the shelter space or infrastructure needed to handle the potential displacement.

“Summerville has two shelters; 16 beds for men, 8 for women, and we stay full all the time,” she said. “A good number of people in encampments have serious mental health or addiction issues, and we don’t have the staffing to manage that. Without financial support from the town or county, we can’t grow any more than we are now.”

Vincini also expressed concern about long-term impact. “People believe that folks in encampments want to be there, that they choose it,” she said. “But most of the time, they don’t. They’re there because they don’t have any other alternatives, and no one is walking beside them to say: you deserve better than this.”

Monday’s public safety committee meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Summerville Town Hall.