Colfax Municipal Code Ch. 8.24 Camping and Storage of Personal Property

The streets and public areas within the city should be readily accessible and available to residents and the public at large. The use of these areas for camping purposes or storage of personal property interferes with the rights of others to use the areas for which they were intended. Such activity can constitute a public health and safety hazard which adversely impacts neighborhoods and commercial areas. Camping on private property without the consent of the owner, proper sanitary measures and for other than a minimal duration adversely affects private property rights as well as public health, safety, and welfare of the city. The purpose of this chapter is to maintain streets, parks and other public and private areas within the city in a clean, sanitary and accessible condition and to adequately protect the health, safety and public welfare of the community, while recognizing that, subject to reasonable conditions, camping and camp facilities associated with special events can be beneficial to the cultural and educational climate in the city. Nothing in this chapter is intended to interfere with otherwise lawful and ordinary uses of public or private property.

(Ord. No. 508, 12-16-09)

Unless the particular provisions or the context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning, and application of words and phrases used in this chapter.

A. "Camp" means to place, pitch, set up or occupy camp facilities; to live temporarily in a camp facility or outdoors; to use camp paraphernalia.

B. "Campfire" means a fire built outdoors.

C. "Camp facilities" include, but are not limited to, tents, huts, vehicles, vehicle camping outfits or temporary shelter.

D. "Camp paraphernalia" includes, but is not limited to, bedrolls, tarpaulins, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks or cooking facilities and similar equipment.

E. "City" means and refers to the City of Colfax and its subordinate agencies and bodies.

F. "City manager" means and refers to the city manager or his/her designee.

G. "Establish" means setting up or moving equipment, supplies or materials on to public or private property to camp or operate camp facilities.

H. "Maintain" means keeping or permitting equipment, supplies or materials to remain on public or private property in order to camp or operate camp facilities.

I. "Operate" means participating or assisting in establishing or maintaining a camp or camp facility.

J. "Park" means, refers to and includes all parks, parkways, malls, plazas, greenbelts, gardens, lakes, and any other property owned by the city, including structures thereon, and used, operated, or maintained for recreational purposes whether passive or active. The term "park" also includes all off street parking areas which are used or intended to be used in connection therewith. The term "park" also includes any property owned or kept by the city as open space, including undeveloped sites for future parks.

K. "Private property" means all private property including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalk, alleys, and improved or unimproved land.

L. "Public property" means all public property including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, alleys, improved or unimproved land and parks.

M. "Store" means to put aside or accumulate for use when needed, to put for safekeeping, to place or leave in a location.

N. "Street" means a street, alley, way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. "Street" includes highway, as that term is defined in the California Vehicle Code.

(Ord. No. 508, 12-16-09)

A. It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in the following areas:

(1) Any public property; or

(2) Any private property.

B. It is not intended by this section to prohibit overnight camping on private residential property by friends or family of the property owner, as long as the owner consents and the overnight camping is limited to not more than one consecutive night.

C. Nothing in this chapter is intended to prohibit or make unlawful, activities of an owner of private property or other lawful user of private property that are normally associated with and incidental to the lawful and authorized use of private property for residential or other purposes. Nothing is intended to prohibit or make unlawful, activities of a property owner or other lawful user if such activities are expressly authorized by the city's comprehensive zoning ordinance or other laws, ordinances and regulations.

D. The city manager may issue a temporary permit to allow camping on public or private property in connection with a special event.

(Ord. No. 508, 12-16-09)

It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to store personal property, including camp paraphernalia, in the following areas, except as otherwise provided by resolution of the city council:

A. On any public property; and

B. On any private property, without the written consent of the owner, and provided that the written consent is in their possession at the time and is shown upon demand of any peace officer.

(Ord. No. 508, 12-16-09)

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any regularly scheduled activities sponsored by the city, any political subdivision of the state, or special district, or any activities being held on land owned or controlled by the city, political subdivision of the state, or special district.

(Ord. No. 508, 12-16-09)

A. Any violation of this chapter shall constitute a public nuisance, abatable pursuant to chapter 8.16 of the Code, by civil action or by any other remedy allowed by law.

B. In addition to being a public nuisance, a violation of this chapter or any section of this chapter is a misdemeanor.

(Ord. No. 508, 12-16-09)