Blue Lake Municipal Code Ch. 8.20 Campground and Camping Regulations

For the purpose of this chapter, certain words and phrases are defined as follows, and certain provisions shall be construed as herein set forth, unless it is apparent from their context that they have a different meaning. Words used in the singular include the plural, and the plural the singular. Words used in the present tense include the future.

"Camp car and/or trailer"

means any unit used for living or sleeping purposes and which is so designed that it is or may be mounted on or equipped with wheels or similar devices used for the purpose of transporting it from place to place, whether by motive power or other means, and said unit, so equipped shall be capable of being safely operated as a vehicle over the public thoroughfares of the State of California at a speed limit of 45 miles per hour.

"Campground"

means any place, area or tract of land upon which is located any camp car and/or trailer, except in any M zone of the City of Blue Lake, application may be made to the Planning Commission for a use permit without compliance with all of the provisions of this chapter under the following conditions:

That no more than one trailer be permitted on any parcel of land under common ownership.

That sanitation standards equal to those required of a dwelling be observed as a condition of occupancy under such use permit.

That the principal purpose of such use be commercial and the matter of residence be incidental to such purpose.

That such use permit be for periods no longer than six months, renewable at the discretion of the Blue Lake Planning Commission.

"Health Department"

means the Health Department of the County of Humboldt or the County Health Officer of the County of Humboldt.

"Tent space"

means any place, area or tract of land upon which is located any tent used for living or sleeping purposes.

It is the duty of the Health Department to enforce all of the provisions of this chapter and for the purpose of securing enforcement thereof, the County Health Officer, or any of his or her duly authorized representatives, shall have the right and are hereby empowered to enter upon the premises of any campground and/or tent space now operating or which may hereafter be operated within the City of Blue Lake to inspect the same and all accommodations connected therewith.

A. No campground and/or tent space hereafter established shall be located within the City of Blue Lake until the location is approved by the Planning Commission in the manner following:

1. The person desiring to locate and operate a campground and/or tent space in the City under the provisions of this chapter, shall file an application therefor with the Planning Commission; the application to include a true legal description of the property upon which it is proposed to locate the campground and/or tent space, and the application shall be accompanied with a filing fee of $25.00.

2. Upon receipt of the application the Planning Commission shall fix a time and place for the holding of a public hearing thereon. Notice of the hearing shall be given by at least one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Blue Lake and by causing notice thereof to be posted no more than 150 feet in distance apart along both sides of each and every street upon which the property involved in the application abuts, providing that such posting shall extend along such street or streets a distance of not less than 300 feet from the exterior limits of the property involved in such application. Such notice shall state the time when the petition will be heard by the Planning Commission, which shall be not less than 10 days from the date of publication and posting.

3. At the time of the hearing of the application, the Planning Commission may hear anyone appearing for the purpose of approving or objecting to the granting of the application, and at the conclusion of the hearing may, by a majority vote of its members, either approve or disapprove the application. The Planning Commission shall immediately communicate its findings and recommendation to the City Council, which shall consider the matter at its regular meeting next following the date of the hearing before the Planning Commission. The City Council shall thereupon publicly hear and finally and conclusively determine whether or not such application shall be granted, giving such notice of the hearing upon the application as it deems proper.

4. Upon the completion of any such campground and/or tent space, and prior to the use thereof, the owner or renter of such campground and/or tent space shall make application to the Health Department of the County of Humboldt for a permit to occupy or use the campground and/or tent space. The application to occupy shall be in writing upon a form provided by the Health Department and shall contain such information as may be required by the Department with respect to the operation of the campground and/or tent space. It shall be filed with the Health Department not less than 10 days, nor more than 30 days before the campground and/or tent space is made ready for use, and it shall be accompanied by an inspection fee of $10.00.

5. The Health Department shall thereupon make an inspection of the campground and/or tent space referred to in the application, and if it is found to be in conformity with the requirements of this and all other ordinances of the City of Blue Lake and the laws of the State of California, the Department shall issue to the owner or operator thereof a written permit to occupy, which permit shall at all times be posted at a conspicuous place on the premises. The permit to occupy shall expire one calendar year from date of issue, and may be renewed upon written application accompanied by an inspection fee of $10.00 to the Health Department.

B. The owner or operator of every campground and/or tent space now in existence in the City of Blue Lake shall, upon the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, make application, as above, to the Health Department for a permit to occupy, and it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to operate or maintain any campground and/or tent space within the confines of the City of Blue Lake, as herein set forth, without first applying for and receiving from the Health Department a permit to occupy and without complying with all of the provisions of this chapter and the laws of the State of California.

All moneys received by the Health Department under provisions of this chapter, shall be paid into the City Treasury and placed in the general fund.

A. No camp car and/or trailer camp, nor camp car and/or trailer with or without wheels, shall be located in any R-1 or R-2 zone.

B. Any camp car and/or trailer that is already in existence in an R-1 or R-2 zone at the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be permitted to continue to stay in said zone if it meets the requirements of the Building Code of the City of Blue Lake and the State Housing Act.

(Ord. 535 § 2, 2019)

Whenever it is found that any campground and/or tent space is not being conducted in conformity with the provisions of this chapter or the laws of the State of California, the permit to operate same shall be subject to revocation or suspension by the City Council in the following manner:

A. Upon instruction of the Council a notice shall be served by the Health Department on the person holding the permit, specifying wherein he or she has failed to comply with this chapter, and ordering him or her to appear before the City Council, at a day and hour therein specified not less than five days after the service of the notice on such permit holder, requiring him or her to show cause at said time and place why the permit should not be revoked or suspended.

B. The notice shall be sent by registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested to the person or persons owning or operating the campground and/or tent space as such persons' names and addresses appear on the last equalized assessment roll or as known to the Health Department. A copy of the notice shall also be posted conspicuously on the campground and/or tent space alleged to be in violation of this chapter or any other ordinance of the City of Blue Lake or the laws of the State of California. The officer or employee of the Health Department upon giving notice as aforesaid shall file an affidavit thereof with the Clerk of the City certifying to the time and the manner in which such notice was given. There shall also be filed any receipt cards which may have been returned in acknowledgment of the receipt of such notices by registered mail. The failure of any owner or operator to receive notice shall not affect in any manner the validity of any proceedings taken hereunder. At the time and place mentioned in the notice, the person holding the permit shall have the right to appear in person or by counsel, and to introduce such evidence as he or she may desire, and the City Council shall confront the permit holder with any charges that the City Council may have against him or her, and after the hearing, the City Council may, at its discretion, revoke or suspend the permit.

A permit to operate or maintain a campground and/or tent space shall be transferable upon the written application of the holder of the permit to the Health Department and with the consent of the Department endorsed thereon.

No camp car and/or trailer or tent used for living or sleeping purposes in any campground and/or tent space now existing, or that may hereafter be established, shall be located within six feet of any other camp car and/or trailer, tent or structure, nor shall any camp car and/or trailer or tent be located within three feet of any lot line. Camp cars and/or trailers and tents, as aforesaid, shall be arranged in rows abutting or facing on a driveway or clear unoccupied space of not less than 15 feet in width which space shall have unobstructed access to a public street or alley. Not less than 500 square feet of ground area shall be provided for each camp car and/or trailer or tent.

Every campground and/or tent space hereafter established shall be located on a well drained area, and the premises of every such campground and/or tent space or any existing campground and/or tent space shall be kept free of dust and maintained in a sanitary condition and shall be properly graded so as to prevent accumulation of storm or casual waters.

An adequate supply of pure water for drinking and domestic purposes shall be supplied to meet the requirements of the campground and/or tent space. The water supply shall be obtained from faucets only. No faucet shall be located more than 100 feet from any camp car and/or trailer or tent in the campground and/or tent space. No dipping vessels or common cups shall be permitted.

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation owning or operating a camp car and/or trailer located in a campground to hereafter remove or cause to have removed the wheels or any similar transporting devices from the camp car and/or trailer or to otherwise permanently fix it to the ground in a manner that would prevent the ready removal of the unit, or to alter it or to add to it or to build onto it in any way so as to make it incapable of being safely operated over the public thoroughfares of the State of California at a speed of 45 miles per hour without first obtaining a permit so to do from the Health Department of the County of Humboldt. Any alteration or addition or building onto any camp car and/or trailer hereafter, as set forth in this section, shall be construed as removing it from the requirements of this chapter and converting it into a dwelling, and it shall thereupon be subject to the requirements of the Building Code of the City of Blue Lake and the State Housing Act of California; except that in no event shall any camp car and/or trailer, whether with wheels or without wheels, be permitted hereafter in any R-1 or R-2 zone.

All camp cars and/or trailers or tents in any campground and/or tent space shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.

Dogs at no time shall be permitted to run at large in any campground and/or tent space.

There shall be provided in every campground and/or tent space heretofore or hereafter established, one water-closet for each sex. The water-closet shall be located not more than 200 feet from any camp car and/or trailer or tent. One water-closet shall be distinctly marked "For Men" and one water-closet shall be distinctly marked "For Women," and there shall be provided an additional water-closet for each sex, for every 10 tents, camp cars and/or trailers or fractional part thereof in excess of 10 tents, camp cars and/or trailers.

A. There shall be provided in every campground and/or tent space now existing or that may hereafter be established a stationary bath tub or shower bath equipped with hot and cold running water. The bath tub, or shower bath shall be located not more than 200 feet from any camp car and/or trailer or tent, and installed in a separate compartment from any water-closet unit. There shall be provided an additional bath tub or shower bath for every 10 tents, camp cars and/or trailers or fractional part thereof in excess of 10 tents, camp cars and/or trailers in the campground and/or tent space.

B. The Health Department may exempt any campground and/or tent space existing at the time of the passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter from fully complying with the provisions of Sections 8.20.140 and 8.20.150 when in its discretion such deviation will not be detrimental to the health of persons occupying the premises or to the proper sanitation of the premises. The floors of every water-closet, bath tub, or shower bath compartment hereafter installed shall be constructed of concrete or some other non-absorbent material; the walls shall be a smooth waterproof material, and the interiors of all water-closets, bath tub or shower compartments shall be maintained in a sanitary condition at all times.

There shall be provided in every campground and/or tent space heretofore or hereafter established metal receptacles with close fitting metal covers for garbage, refuse, ashes and rubbish. Such receptacles shall be provided for every six, or fractional part of six, camp cars and/or trailers or tents.

There shall be provided in every campground and/or tent space heretofore or hereafter established one or more slop sinks properly connected with the City sewer system or a cesspool or septic tank, the sinks to be conveniently located at no greater distance than 100 feet from any camp car and/or trailer or tent. There shall be provided in every campground and/or tent space, a public compartment with not less than two laundry trays equipped with hot and cold running water.

It is unlawful to deposit any waste water, drainage or material from plumbing fixtures, including any such fixtures within any camp car and/or trailer, on the surface of any campground and/or tent space. All such fixtures, when in use, must be connected to the City sewer system; or in lieu thereof, they may be connected to a cesspool or septic tank constructed in a manner satisfactory to the Health Department.

Every campground and/or tent space heretofore or hereafter established shall be provided with means of lighting the same at night and all public water-closets and bath units therein shall be provided with sufficient lighting facilities which shall be kept lighted during the time from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise.

Any water faucets, toilets, garbage receptacle, or other equipment required by the provisions of this chapter in campgrounds and/or tent spaces or which may hereafter be required by any rules and regulations of the Health Department pertaining to such premises shall not be construed to mean water faucets, toilets, garbage, receptacles or other equipment now or hereafter located in or adjacent to campgrounds and/or tent spaces and which may already or hereafter be required under provisions of other laws or ordinances.

Every person who owns or operates a campground shall keep a register in which shall be written:

A. The name and address of each person who is the owner or operator of any automobile, camp car and/or trailer, and the name and address of each member of his or her party for which space is rented in any campground; and

B. The make, type and license number of the automobile, camp car and/or trailer, and the state in which vehicle or vehicles are registered, and the year of registration.

A. It is the duty of every person, firm or corporation owning, leasing, renting or operating a campground and/or tent space in the City of Blue Lake to comply with all of the provisions of this chapter and any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions thereof or disregarding any order or findings of the City Council with respect to the campground and/or tent space, or contributing in any way to the violation of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500.00 or by imprisonment in the County Jail not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

B. Each Violation a Separate Offense. Every person, firm or corporation violating or contributing in any way to the violation of any provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each day during which the violation continues and shall be punishable therefor as herein provided.

If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this chapter. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter and each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, clauses or phrases be declared unconstitutional.