Pittsfield's Camping Ordinance Debate Resumes Tuesday

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Discussion about the proposed "Camping on Public Property" ordinance will continue at Tuesday's City Council meeting, with the ordinance and five directly related petitions on the nearly 1,000-page agenda. 

A failed motion to continue the last meeting beyond the four-hour limit meant that the controversial proposal was continued, along with several other items. 

During Wednesday's Homelessness Advisory Committee meeting, Director of Community Development Justine Dodds reported that Mayor Peter Marchetti has been communicating with the "Homes not Handcuffs" advocacy group. Members have spoken against the proposal consistently during open microphone and have urged better solutions. 

"[Marchetti] said that he is looking for a solution to the behaviors in downtown rather than anything else, and that he is supportive of any solution that may come forward," she told the committee. 

"As you may be aware, the criminalization has been taken out, and there have been some changes. He met with the Board of Health, and they're interested in also providing some input into this as well." 

The mayor has been open to amendments since proposing the ordinance months ago, removing criminalization language, changing the fine structure, and adding exceptions for individuals sleeping in cars or escaping danger.  

Director of Public Health Andy Cambi has asked that councilors refer the ordinance to the Pittsfield Board of Health for review and consultation.

He cited four reasons for the request: 

1. The enforcement of this ordinance is being assigned to the Department of Public Health. The Board of Health oversees the Health Department.
2. The issues the ordinance seeks to address — such as sanitation, waste disposal, and
exposure to environmental hazards — are fundamentally public health concerns that

Cambi also asked that the city partner with the Board of Health to develop an enforcement framework that prioritizes public health. 

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren proposed eight amendments to the ordinance to fine-tune language, restrict enforcement to the Downtown Creative District, and amend the section about storage of personal property that he finds authoritarian. 

He also asked that if approved, the ordinance take effect on Sept. 15, 2025, conditioned by the mayor reporting back to the City Council by its first meeting in September that it has investigated and explored alternative locations for temporary shelter, alternative camping sites, and/or overnight bathroom facilities. 

"In addition, this report shall indicate the status and/or progress of the city's provision of storage lockers for personal property belonging to the unhoused," Warren wrote, explaining that this would ensure that these issues would receive some focused attention. 

Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey and Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi have requested that the administration provide quarterly reports to the City Council detailing enforcement actions taken under the city's anti-camping ordinance. The two also petitioned for the development of a designated emergency safe camping plan for unhoused individuals in the city, and a written opinion from the state Attorney General's Office regarding the legal standing and enforceability of the proposed ordinance related to camping in public spaces. 

Community members have cited lawsuits in other communities over similar ordinances and cautioned about legal issues. 

"In light of legal developments at both the state and federal levels, it is in the City's best interest to ensure that our local ordinances remain constitutional, enforceable, and consistent with current legal standards," they wrote. 

"We further request that, once this guidance is received, a summary be provided to the
Pittsfield City Council and made available to the public, so that all stakeholders can move forward with clarity and confidence." 

Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:35AM / Saturday, June 13, 2026

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said.