“Available overnight shelter” means a public or private facility, with an available overnight space, open to person(s) experiencing homelessness at no charge, which must be located within a 15-mile radius with the starting point of Lakewood City Hall, and to which the City facilitates transport.

“Occupy” means to evidence an intent to remain in a place, at least overnight. Intent can be evidenced by setting up tents, shelter, or bedding, for example.

“Personal property” means an item(s) recognizable as belonging to a person, has apparent utility or value in its current condition, and is not hazardous.

“Public entity” is the state, county, any municipal corporation, or other taxing district and includes any and all divisions and subdivisions thereof, including but not limited to entities referred to throughout state law as follows: agency, district, general purpose government, governmental entity, governmental body, instrumentality, local agency, local government, local governmental entity, local public agency, local public body, municipal corporation, municipality, political subdivision, public agency, public body, public body corporate and politic, public corporation, quasi-municipal corporation, special district, special purpose district, taxing district, and units of government.

“Public property” means all parks, streets, rights-of-way, sidewalks and any other property in which a public entity has a property interest.

“Store” means to put aside or accumulate for use when needed, to put for safekeeping, or to place or leave in a location regardless of the length of time; the defining characteristic is that the items are not in use and not discarded; they are on public property for future use by the owner.

“Wetland” or “wetlands” means areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas. Wetlands do not include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland sites, including, but not limited to, irrigation and drainage ditches, grass-lined swales, canals, detention facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, farm ponds, and landscape amenities, or those wetlands created after July 1, 1990, that were unintentionally created as a result of the construction of a road, street, or highway. Wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland areas created to mitigate conversion of wetlands. Wetlands are specifically protected under the City’s Shoreline Management Program and Critical Areas Ordinance. [Ord. 783 § 3, 2023.]