A business operation in a homeless encampment under Alisal Road bridge may legally be removed by private property owners because they are not constrained by legislation and case law dictating local government action, Solvang City Attorney David Fleishman told the City Council Monday. “If on private property, the property owner can dismiss trespassers by contacting Sheriff officers. He also has the opportunity to clean up his own land if there are people there,” Fleishman said.
The discussion arose Monday during Solvang City Council’s public comment period when C.J. Jackson of Alisal Ranch and related properties presented two photos to the council. He said one showed “a truck that makes regular deliveries to our ersatz community beneath the bridge,” and the other showed “a bicycle remanufacture and bicycle repair business which is going on very obviously beneath the bridge.” Jackson asked the city to pursue the business, calling it unsightly and in danger of washing down the riverbed in the case of a flood even