TRAVERSE CITY, MI – A well-known homeless encampment in Traverse City could soon be emptied if a year-round shelter is approved, police announced .

The Traverse City Police Department announced that it will begin enforcing a ban on camping on public land on May 6. Enforcement targets a homeless encampment at the Grand Traverse Commons Park; the area is known as The Pines.

About 15-20 people camp at The Pines during the warmer months of the year when the local, seasonal emergency shelter, Safe Harbor , is closed.

On May 5, the city commission will vote on a special use permit to allow the shelter to operate year-round, providing a refuge for those who would have camped at The Pines.

“Our intentions are that we’re going to enforce our camping ordinance starting May 6th, depending on the city commission’s vote on May 5,” Chief Matt Richmond told 9&10 News .

The TCPD’s Quick Response Team and other partners have been working since fall to inform people who regularly camp at The Pines that it won’t be an option beginning this summer, the announcement said. They are working with individuals to provide them with long-term solutions to homelessness.

When enforcement begins, camping on public land within the city limits will be a civil infraction and could result in arrest, police said.

People experiencing homelessness in the Traverse City area can seek shelter at Goodwill Inn , a 120-bed, year-round emergency shelter.