The homeless encampment in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale has worn out its welcome.

The City Commission on Tuesday will consider crafting an ordinance that would discourage homeless people from congregating in Stranahan Park, in response to a drop in foot traffic at nearby restaurants, businesses and the county’s Main Library.

“There is no question that merchants and businesses in downtown are asking for and deserve relief,” said Mayor Jack Seiler. “The city has made it clear we will do everything possible.”

Chris Wren, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, said there are no statistics on how the growing number of homeless people in the park affects businesses. But, he said, “with folks hanging out and milling all about, people feel uncomfortable walking to the food court. And people tell me they are starting to not want to drop their kids off at the library.”

Stranahan Park, at the southeast corner of Andrews Avenue and Broward Boulevard, “is the literal heart, the center of our city, and we should find a way to deal with this properly and respectfully,” Wren said.

But City Attorney Harry Stewart warned that there is no easy way to clear the downtown park of the scores of homeless who have made the public space effectively off-limits to most residents and visitors.

“Homelessness is not a crime; panhandling is a form of free speech,” he said. “Now we have to find a balance.”

On sunny afternoons, 100 or more men and women lounge or sleep on the tattered lawn, often surrounded by backpacks, suitcases, piles of clothing, blankets and boxes of belongings. On days when shelters, churches or other groups offer free food, the litter left behind can be extensive.

The announcement last week that a once-popular restaurant in the library would close, in part because of the presence of the homeless people out front, has made addressing the situation a hot-button issue. Some in the community say the growing daytime encampment poses another threat: to the city’s reputation.

“I have not heard that it has tainted the city’s reputation yet, but there is a risk of it doing so,” said Seiler. “To have a large homeless population right in the heart of downtown is not good for the city’s image.”

Stewart said any law used to move out the homeless people would be based on “an overriding governmental interest,” the basis of a law that bans panhandling or soliciting on beaches, beach sidewalks and within 150 feet of Atlantic Boulevard or Seabreeze Boulevard. That law is predicated on the importance of the beaches to the city’s economic well-being, and has withstood legal challenges.

“Many of the homeless congregate in Stranahan Park as a resting place, a meeting place and a feeding place,” said Harriet Buchbinder, treasurer of the Friends of the Fort Lauderdale Libraries. “While these are all justifications for using the park, their large and growing number creates an intimidating aura for those who wish to visit the downtown area and enjoy cultural and educational facilities and events.

“As a resort area, this is really a turn-off.”

Any law that could move them out will come too late for Ymelda Luna Singh, who said she will close her Charcuterie Too restaurant at month’s end, and for other businesses that have been hurt by the homeless presence.