Cathedral City Municipal Code Ch. 5.74 Convenience Store Video Surveillance

For purposes of this chapter, "convenience store" refers to those stores under two thousand five hundred square feet of indoor retail space, engaged in, but not necessarily limited to, sales of groceries, sundries, household items, beer, wine and/or other alcoholic beverages.

(Ord. 432 § 10, 1996)

Effective December 1, 1996, existing and proposed businesses defined in Section 5.74.010 shall be required to install and maintain video surveillance equipment in accordance with the listed requirements:

A. A minimum of one camera, directed at the cash register(s) customer contact counter. Exact placement to be approved by Cathedral City police department detective personnel. The store may install a second camera to the system. However, the camera must be directed at the primary entry/exit door;

B. A minimum of one video recorder for the designated camera. Should the store desire a second camera, the recording may alternate monitoring between the two police designated cameras, but not utilize a split screen. The recorder must be capable of twenty-four hours of continuous recording on a single tape;

C. The store will maintain a supply of at least fourteen video tapes with each tape numbered in sequence; 1 through 14. The tapes shall record one twenty-four-hour period, be removed, and securely maintained for a period of at least thirteen days prior to being reused. A reference log shall be created and maintained for the purpose of recording the date/time period recorded by each tape. These tapes shall be made available to any representative of the Cathedral City police department, within twenty-four hours, upon request. Such tapes shall be made available for use in evidence against crimes committed at the location for use in any court or any administrative proceeding regardless of the party or parties involved;

D. Video surveillance will be conducted at the locations continuously during business hours, or whenever the public, or store personnel are present within the store.

(Ord. 432 § 10, 1996)

A violation of Section 5.74.020 of this chapter by any person responsible for committing, causing or maintaining such violation shall constitute an infraction violation which shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Chapter 13.65, including, but not limited to, the imposition of any and all criminal penalties and any other applicable rules, regulations and procedures.

(Ord. 506 § 3, 1999)

Any person convicted of an infraction shall, for each separate violation of this chapter, be subject to: (a) a fine in an amount not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars for a first conviction of an offense; (b) a fine in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars for a second conviction of the same offense within a twelve-month period of the date of the first offense; and (c) a fine in an amount not to exceed seven hundred fifty dollars for the third conviction of the same offense within a twelve-month period within a twelve-month period of the date of the first offense. The fine for a fourth and subsequent convictions of the same offense within a twelve-month period of the date of the first offense shall be one thousand dollars.

(Ord. 506 § 3, 1999)

In lieu of issuing an infraction citation, the city may issue an administrative citation, pursuant to Chapter 13.58, to any person responsible for committing, causing or maintaining a violation of Section 5.74.020 of this chapter. Nothing in this section shall preclude the city from also issuing an infraction citation upon the occurrence of the same offense on a separate day.

(Ord. 506 § 3, 1999)

Note: Former § 5.74.060, Administrative fine, adopted by Ord. 506 was repealed by Ord. 892, 10/22/2025.

A violation of Section 5.74.020 of this chapter by the holder of any city permit and/or city license validly issued pursuant to this or any other chapter shall constitute grounds for modification, suspension and/or revocation of said permit and/or license pursuant to the provisions set forth in Chapter 13.150.

(Ord. 506 § 3, 1999)

Nothing in this chapter shall preclude the city from pursuing the remedies provided by Chapter 13.140, including but not limited to, as applicable, denial or revocation of certificates of occupancy, issuance of a stop work orders and injunctive relief.

(Ord. 506 § 3, 1999)