Los Angeles County Municipal Code Part 4 Boating

A person shall not use, operate or maintain any vessel, as provided in Section 17.04.550, except in accordance with all of the provisions of this Part 4.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 101, 1971.)

A person shall not use, operate or maintain any vessel which is not registered as required by law.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 103, 1971.)

The director shall keep an accurate record of the number, size, type and description of all vessels within or using park waters, and it is unlawful for any person having knowledge thereof to fail or refuse to provide said information to the director on demand.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 121, 1971.)

A person shall not use, operate or maintain any vessel on or in any park waters until he first secures a permit to do so from the director and has met the applicable safety and sanitation requirements prescribed in Section 17.04.690. The person applying for such a permit shall pay such fees as may be prescribed from time to time by the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 104, 1971.)

A.

Each vessel, prior to being issued a permit, is subject to inspection by the director to determine that it meets the following sanitation and safety standards:

It shall be in a seaworthy, clean and sanitary condition;

It shall be a vessel of standard design as determined by the director, and shall not be a raft;

It shall be a vessel not possessing any sink drains or toilet facilities unless such vessel meets the requirements set forth in Section 17.04.860 of this Part 4.

B.

Each vessel issued a permit pursuant to Section 17.04.680 shall be subject to reinspection and reevaluation at any time the vessel is in or entering a park. The director may revoke any permit in a case where a vessel has previously been issued a permit and subsequently it is found by director that said vessel does not meet the requirements of this chapter.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 105, 1971.)

A.

A person shall not engage or participate in a boat race, regatta, demonstration, exhibition or other special event unless so authorized by permit of the director.

B.

If the director finds that conditions in any park waters, or in any portion thereof, can be so regulated at a particular time that the participation of any vessel or group of vessels, or of certain classes, sizes or types thereof in a boat race, regatta, demonstration, exhibition or other special event will not create any danger to persons or property, and will not unduly interfere with the normal use of park waters, he may grant a temporary permit authorizing such vessels to participate in such special events at such times and under such conditions and restrictions as he may prescribe. A person may operate a vessel so authorized to participate in the manner prescribed by the permit, and so long as he complies in all respects with the terms, conditions and restrictions of such permit. Permits granted under the provisions of this section are immediately revocable upon determination by the director or his authorized representative that a dangerous or intolerable situation exists during the conduct of the special event.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 118, 1971.)

All motor-driven vessels shall not be less than 12 feet in length, except as otherwise permitted by the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 109, 1971.)

All traffic-control markers, signs, notices, signals, buoys or navigation control devices shall be installed only upon the authority of the director, and the director is authorized to install such permanent or temporary traffic-control markers, signs, notices, signals, buoys or navigation control devices as he may deem necessary for the protection of persons and property within park waters, or to regulate traffic during and after any race, regatta, parade or special event being held in said park waters, or in any portion thereof. No person shall install any marker unless so authorized, except to mark a sunken or disabled craft or other hazard to navigation as set forth in Section 17.04.940. It is unlawful to wilfully fail to obey any such marker, sign, notices, signal, buoy or navigation control device utilized by the director or with any signal, orders or directions of the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 106, 1971.)

A person shall not use, operate or maintain any vessel in any park water or portion thereof which the director designates as not being open to vessels.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 107, 1971.)

No person shall use or operate a vessel except between the hours of one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset unless otherwise permitted by the director. However, the director shall terminate launchings whenever in his opinion

the number of boats in use exceeds the established maximum for a given body of water and the safety of the park patrons would be jeopardized by permitting additional boats to enter thereupon.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 110, 1971.)

A person shall not launch into or remove from park waters any vessel except at specific locations designated by the director for the purpose of launching and recovery of vessels, or in accordance with permits issued by the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 108, 1971.)

When launching or retrieving a vessel via trailer attached to a vehicle, no person other than the driver of the vehicle shall be in the vehicle. It shall be the responsibility of said driver to insure no other person is in the vehicle.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 132, 1971.)

A person having charge of a vessel shall not permit the debarkation of passengers or the unloading of cargo onto any public or privately controlled bulkhead, float, wharf, pier, dock or other structure within park waters, or onto another vessel, without the consent of the person in charge of such structure or vessel, except in an emergency.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 117, 1971.)

It is unlawful for any person to operate on park waters any power or motor-driven vessel that does not have neutral gear, except when participating as contestant as per Section 17.04.700, or by written permit of the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 111, 1971.)

A person shall not operate the motor of a vessel at high rpm with the gears engaged when such vessel is moored or secured in a slip or berth in such a manner that the wash of the propeller will cause turbulent waters that create a hazard to other vessels, persons or property.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 131, 1971.)

If the director finds that any vessel on any park water is overloaded, unsafe in construction, design, or for other reasons or is being operated in violation of this chapter or any other ordinance, statute, or order, he may require the operator to remove such vessel from the park water and/or revoke the permit. The operator shall comply with such an order.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973; Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 116, 1971.)

Any vessel that may enter park waters in a disabled or dangerous condition, or any vessel on park waters which may for any reason be dangerous or rendered disabled, shall immediately become subject to the orders and directions of the director, a county ranger, a county security guard or a county lifeguard, and it is unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to comply with the orders or directions of said persons with regard to the disposition of such vessel.

(Ord. 11147 § 4, 1975: Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 127, 1971.)

A.

The entire area of any park waters is designated as a speed zone in which no person, except a public officer in the performance of his duty, shall operate a vessel or cause it to be operated at a speed greater than the posted maximum speed limit, nor at a speed that is not reasonable or prudent, having due regard for other vessels, property and persons on said waters, and visibility and weather conditions prevailing at the time.

B.

The prima facie speed limit in all areas to which this Part 4 applies shall be five knots, unless posted differently by the authority of the director.

C.

No person shall operate a vessel upon park waters in such a manner that the speed thereof creates an unnecessary or excessive wake.

D.

No person shall operate or permit to be operated a motor vessel at any speed, while any person on board said vessel is positioned in such a manner as to endanger said person.

E.

A person shall not operate a vessel in excess of 12 knots on any portion of park waters except as stated in Section 17.04.1000. This section shall not apply to any vessel operator participating as a contestant pursuant to Section 17.04.700.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 113, 1971.)

A person shall not operate a hydrofoil craft, seaplane or air propeller driven water craft, paddleboard, aquaplane, surfboard, surfmat, or similar craft or devices propelled personally by manual or sail power, on or in park waters except as permitted by the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 102, 1971.)

A person shall not use, operate or maintain a canoe on any park waters except in designated areas.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 119, 1971.)

A person shall not use, operate or maintain a sailboat on any park waters during any time the water level is below that considered safe by the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 120, 1971.)

A.

Upon application to the director, persons operating, maintaining or possessing vessels using park waters may be authorized by the director to use and operate toilet fixtures equipped with approved and acceptable devices that will prevent contaminants from entering park waters.

B.

Toilet fixtures of a vessel which are equipped with a device or devices for the purpose of preventing contaminants from entering into park waters shall not be used for the disposal of excrement, sewage or other contaminants unless a permit in writing has first been issued by the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 129, 1971.)

A person shall not place a private mooring buoy in park waters without first securing a permit for such installation from the director. A person securing such a permit shall be responsible for providing equipment meeting the director's specifications for accurate initial placement of the buoy and tackle, and for its subsequent maintenance, positioning and removal in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit; he shall also be liable for any costs incurred by the county in the recovery, repositioning or resecuring of such buoy and tackle under emergency conditions.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 123, 1971.)

The director may permit vessels to anchor or occupy a mooring buoy for such period of time as he may prescribe, and in designated areas set aside or reserved for this purpose by the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 124, 1971.)

A person shall not make fast or moor any vessel to any aid to navigation within park waters such as buoys, nunbuoys, spar- buoys, or other objects identifiable as aids to navigation, except in an emergency.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 122, 1971.)

The owner or other person having charge of any vessel shall not secure, moor, or make fast any vessel to any float, wharf, pier, mooring or other facilities within park waters without the consent of the lessee, agent or other person in charge of such facility. It is unlawful for the owner or operator of such vessel to fail or refuse to remove or change the position of such vessel as ordered by the director. In the event the owner of a vessel moored without permission cannot be located within a reasonable time, the director may, at his discretion, remove the vessel without liability for any damage thereto, and such vessel shall remain in his custody until claimed by proper owners, who shall pay all expenses incurred by the county in connection therewith. Such charges shall be in accordance with the Schedule of Charges for Services Rendered and Supplies Furnished by the Harbor Patrol, as approved by the board of supervisors on November 20, 1965, or as subsequently amended.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 125, 1971.)

A.

The operator of any vessel which collides with any unattended vessel on park waters shall immediately secure his vessel and shall forthwith notify the owner of the struck vessel of the name and address of the operator and/or owner of the striking vessel, either in person or by leaving in a conspicuous place in the struck vessel a written notice giving such name and address and a statement of circumstances, whereupon he shall immediately report the incident to the director, a county park ranger, a county security guard, or a county lifeguard. It is unlawful to fail to render said notice and said report.

B.

The rendering of this notice and report aforementioned in this section shall not exonerate any boat operator or owner from rendering accident reports required by the California Harbors and Navigation Code, or any other reports required by law.

(Ord. 11147 § 5, 1975; Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 128, 1971.)

A person shall not weld, burn or cut using any device or attachment facilitating welding, burning or cutting nor shall any person use any type gas-welding, burning or cutting equipment on or within any vessel when moored or anchored within any park waters except when the vessel is moored or anchored within an area that has been designated by the director. Such welding, burning or cutting shall be with the approval of the county forester and fire warden and under such regulations as he may require.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 130, 1971.)

Except in an emergency, a person shall not land or takeoff any helicopter, seaplane or other aircraft, on or from any park or park waters, without the prior approval of the director.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 133, 1971.)

A.

It is unlawful to tie up or anchor a vessel in park waters in such a manner as to prevent or obstruct the passage of other vessels; or to voluntarily or carelessly sink or allow to be sunk any vessel in any park waters or berthing space in such a manner to impede navigation or cause damage to vessels or facilities therein.

B.

Whenever a vessel is sunk in park waters accidentally or otherwise and such vessel obstructs or endangers navigation, it shall be the duty of the owner of such vessel to mark it immediately by buoy or beacon by day and by lantern or light by night, and to maintain such markings until the sunken vessel or obstruction is removed, and neglect or failure of such owner to do so shall be unlawful. The owner of such sunken vessel shall immediately commence removal of such vessel and prosecute the removal diligently to completion.

C.

Whenever the navigation of any park waters, including moorings or berths therein, shall be obstructed or endangered by any sunken vessel or obstruction, and the obstruction or danger has existed for a period of more than 10 days, the vessel or obstruction shall be subject to removal, sale or other disposition at the convenience of the county. The owners of such vessel or other property causing said obstruction or danger shall be liable to the county for all costs incident to removal and disposition, and the county, its employees, agents and officers shall not be liable for damage of any nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way connected with removal, sale or disposition of such vessel or other property.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 126, 1971.)

It is unlawful at any time for any person to obstruct the free and easy access to and departure from any portion of any ramp, landing, pier, berth, float, wharf or any other facilities within park waters.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 115, 1971.)

A person shall not wilfully injure, break, remove or tamper with any part of any vessel within a park or park waters, nor shall any person climb into or upon any vessel without consent of the owner unless in performance of official duties or to protect life and/or property.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 114, 1971.)

It is unlawful to wilfully or carelessly destroy, damage, disturb, deface or interfere with any aid to navigation or mooring buoy, float, life preserver, sign, signal, notice, control device, or any other public or private property whatsoever within park waters.

(Ord. 10729 § 16 (part), 1973: Ord. 10309 Art. 5 § 112, 1971.)