Coachella Municipal Code Ch. 9.20 Weapons

A. No person shall fire or cause to be fired any shotgun, pistol, firearm, air rifle or air pistol within the city, except those persons, who are issued a permit by the chief of police for the use of a twelve (12), sixteen (16), twenty (20) or four hundred ten (410) gauge shotgun for the abatement of the pigeon nuisance problem within the city, to be used in the manner provided in this chapter.

B. The chief of police is given the power and authority to issue permits to any property owner, duly authorized agent of a property owner, tenant or lessee of a property owner for the firing of a twelve (12), sixteen (16), twenty (20) or four hundred ten (410) gauge shotgun exclusively within the confines of the property of the holder of the permit. The chief of police is authorized and instructed to issue permits to any of the aforementioned classified persons, who are over the age of twenty-one (21) years.

C. All persons issued permits in connection with this section shall use no shells or pellets larger than No. 6 in their shotguns.

D. All persons issued permits shall be fully responsible for any and all property damage or personal injuries sustained by anyone in connection with the permittee's use of such shotgun.

E. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be subject to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or to imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or shall be subject both to such fine and imprisonment; provided, further, that the parent or legal guardian of any person under the age of eighteen (18) years who should violate any provision of this section may consent that in lieu of having a criminal complaint filed against them, the chief of police may confiscate a shotgun, pistol, firearm, air rifle or air pistol used by said person in the violation of this section. Such confiscation by the chief of police shall be for a period not to exceed one year.

(Ord. 892 § 15, 2003; prior code § 14-7)