Chino Hills Municipal Code Ch. 12.48 Closure of Government Center Grounds During Overnight Hours

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Prior to reenactment by Ord. No. 415, § 4, adopted Dec. 10, 2024, Ord. No. 301, § 4, adopted Aug. 9, 2016, repealed former Ch. 12.48, §§ 12.48.010—12.48.030, in its entirety which pertained to political signs and derived from Ord. No. 59, § 2, 1994; Ord. No. 161, §§ 1, 4, 4, 2004; Ord. No. 216, §§ 1—4, 2008.

A. The Chino Hills Government Center Grounds are closed to members of the public between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. each day, and no person or vehicle may be present in or on the Government Center Grounds during these times except as specified in subparagraph (B). Any person who accesses or uses the Government Center Grounds in a manner prohibited by this section is a trespasser under state law and is also in violation of this section. Any vehicle in violation of this section may be cited or towed at the owner's expense.

B. Exceptions.

1. If a City-authorized event or any public meeting of the City Council or any City board or commission held within the Government Center ends after 10:30 p.m., then the grounds shall remain open to the public for thirty (30) minutes after the public meeting or City-authorized event ends.

2. Limitations on access to and use of property imposed pursuant to this section shall not apply to any person who has a private right to enter upon and use the property, to any city personnel or city contractor authorized to enter upon the property, or to any other person who has otherwise been duly authorized by the city in writing to enter upon or use the property.

C. For purposes of this section, "Government Center Grounds" means and includes (i) all parking stalls, driveways, walkways, and landscaped areas surrounding Chino Hills City Hall, the Chino Hills Police Station, and the James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library (14000 City Center Drive, 14077 Peyton Drive, and 14020 City Center Drive, respectively [APN No. 1022-021-40]); (ii) the vacant strip of land immediately east of, and adjacent to, the public parking structure located just north of City Hall (APN No. 1022-021-37); and (iii) City Center Drive from Boys Republic Drive to Shoppes Drive, (portion of APN No. 1022-021-57); (iv) the overflow surface parking area situated east of City Center Drive, south of Shoppes Drive, and west of Boys Republic Drive (APN No. 1022-021-30 and 1022-021-31 "the Overflow Parking Parcel") for so long as said Overflow Parking Parcel is owned by the City of Chino Hills; and (v) the adjacent area south of the public parking structure and north of City Hall (APN No. 1022-021-35). "Government Center Grounds" does not include the sidewalks adjacent to Peyton Drive and Boys Republic Drive.

(Ord. No. 415, § 4, 12-10-2024)

A. Signs displaying the following notice in lettering at least ¾-inch in height must be posted at every vehicular and pedestrian entrance to the Government Center Grounds, which provides substantially as follows: "NOTICE: The Government Center grounds are closed to the public between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., daily. Any unauthorized person present on the Government Center grounds during the hours of closure is a trespasser subject to prosecution. (CHMC § 12.48.010)."

B. The notice required by this section may be included on the signs posted pursuant to Section 12.46.030 of this code.

C. No person shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this chapter unless proper signage has been posted in accordance with this section.

(Ord. No. 415, § 4, 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 421, § 2, 9-23-2025)

Violations of this chapter may be enforced through state criminal and civil laws governing trespass and may also be punished in any manner prescribed for violations of this code in Title 1 or in any other manner provided by law. All remedies prescribed by this chapter shall be cumulative, and the use of one or more remedies by the city shall not bar the use of any other remedy for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 415, § 4, 12-10-2024)