Seeking to address what its police chief described as gaps in state trespassing laws, the Milton City Council has approved a local trespassing ordinance to give residents more control over their property.
The council approved on second reading an update to its ordinance defining “Offenses Against Public Peace, Order and Morals.” It cites as a disorderly conduct offense entering a person’s property “for a purpose that could reasonably be deemed to disturb its tranquility or peaceable enjoyment, or cause hurt, inconvenience or damage to the property, its owner, or authorized occupants.”
“Recently, the police department learned of gaps within the state trespassing law which keeps it from being completely effective, especially give our unique rural nature,” Police Chief Rich Austin told the council. “By enacting a trespassing component to our existing disorderly conduct ordinance, citizens would then have more control regulating who may or may not come onto their property.”
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