§ 5-23

The public streets and 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. The purpose of this chapter is to maintain public streets and areas within the City in a clean and accessible condition. (§ 1, Ord. 2601, eff. December 7, 1995, § 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

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, or occupy camp facilities; to live temporarily in a camp facility or outdoors; or to use camp paraphernalia for the purpose of temporary or permanent human habitation. (b) "Camp facilities" include but are not limited to tents, huts, vehicles, vehicle camping outfits, or temporary shelter. (c) "Camp paraphernalia" includes but is not limited to bedrolls, tarpaulins, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks, or cooking facilities and similar equipment. (d) "Establish" means setting up or moving equipment, supplies, or materials on to public or private property to "camp" or operate camp facilities. (e) "Maintain" means keeping or permitting equipment, supplies, or materials to remain on public or private property. (f) "Operate" means participating or assisting in establishing or maintaining a camp or camp facility. (g) "Personal property" means any and all tangible items including but not limited to goods, materials, merchandise, camp paraphernalia, luggage, backpack, books, clothing, documents, household goods, and medication. (h) "Private property" means all privately owned property. (i) "Public property" means all public property, including but not limited to streets, sidewalks, alleys, improved or unimproved land, and parks owned by a public agency and/or open to public access. (j) “Recreational vehicle” or "RV" means a motorhome, travel trailer, truck camper, camping trailer, or other vehicle or trailer with or without motive power designed or altered for human habitation for recreational, emergency, or other human occupancy. "Recreational vehicle" specifically includes but is not limited to: a "recreational vehicle" as defined by California Health and Safety Code Section 18010; a "truck camper" as defined by Health and Safety

Code Section 18013.4; a "camp trailer" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 242; a "camper" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 243; a "fifth-wheel travel trailer" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 324; a "house car" as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 362; a "trailer coach" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 635; a van camper; or a van conversion. (k) "Store" means to put aside or accumulate for use when needed, to put for safekeeping, or to place or leave in a location. (§ 1, Ord. 2601, eff. December 7, 1995, as amended by § 1, Ord. 2923, eff. June 3, 2010, § 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

(a) It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to camp; establish, maintain, allow, operate, or occupy camp facilities; or use camp paraphernalia in the following areas: (1) Any public property, public or private street, or right-of-way including sidewalks, bus stops, and public landscaping; (2) Any parking lot, yard, building setback, vacant land, open space, park, embankment, or any other area open to, accessible to, or controlled by the public (improved or unimproved); (3) In, on, under, or adjacent to any structure not intended for human occupancy; (4) In, on, under, or adjacent to a parked vehicle on any public or private property including but not limited to an automobile, bus, truck, camper, trailer, or recreational vehicle. (b) The prohibition on camping in this section shall not apply to the following: (1) Camping on residential private property with consent of the property owner; and where such use does not violate any provision of this Code or state law, does not create or permit a public nuisance, and where such use is not within view of the public right-of-way; (2) Camping where specifically permitted within City-approved campgrounds or facilities; (3) Camping in connection with a special event as authorized by the City. (c) The exceptions contained herein do not apply where: (1) Camping is conducted in such a manner as to create inadequate sanitation or other public nuisance; (2) Camping is of such frequency, intensity, or duration as to constitute a use of land prohibited by zoning regulations; (3) Camping would be prohibited under any other provision of this Code; and (4) Any fee, charge, or other monetary consideration is collected for the privilege of camping or for any services or the use of any facilities related thereto, other than at City-approved campgrounds or facilities. (d) Nothing in this chapter is intended to prohibit or make unlawful activities of a property owner or lawful tenant of private property that are incidental to the lawful and authorized use of private property for residential or other approved and legal purposes. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit or make unlawful activities of a property owner or other lawful tenant if such activities are expressly authorized by the City's zoning ordinance, other ordinances, or regulations. (§ 1, Ord. 2601, eff. December 7, 1995, as amended by § 2, Ord. 2923, eff. June 3, 2010, § 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to store personal property in any of the following areas, except as otherwise approved by the City Manager or designee or as permitted by this Code or state law:

(a) Any public property, public or private street, or right-of-way including sidewalks, bus stops, and public landscaping; or (b) Any parking lot, yard, building setback, vacant land, open space, park, or any other area open to, accessible to, or controlled by the public (improved or unimproved). (§ 1, Ord. 2601, eff. December 7, 1995, § 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

It is unlawful for any person to use any motor vehicle or recreational vehicle for human habitation on or in any public or private street, alley, parking lot, or any public or privately owned property which is held open for public use. For purposes of this section, evidence of "human habitation" shall include but not be limited to, observations that the vehicle is being used for living, sleeping, cooking, or bathing purposes. Sleeping in or occupying a parked vehicle for longer than thirty (30) minutes, consecutively or in the aggregate, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. shall constitute prima facie evidence the vehicle is being used for human habitation (§ 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

It shall be unlawful for any person to urinate or defecate or dump any fecal matter on public or private property in an area exposed to the public view or on any public street, sidewalk, alley, park, or any other space except in a restroom or other facility designed for such purpose. (§ 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

(a) Each person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day, or portion thereof, during which any violation of or failure to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter is committed, continued or permitted by such person, and each instance shall be deemed punishable. (b) The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed as permitting conduct not proscribed herein and shall not affect the enforceability of any other applicable provisions of law. (c) The City may enforce any violation of this chapter by any and all means available by law including but not limited to a restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction, and criminal or administrative enforcement. (d) These remedies are intended to be cumulative and may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of each other remedy. (§ 4, Ord. 3311, eff. September 18, 2025)

CHAPTER 24: REGULATION OF PUBLIC LODGING FACILITIES

CHAPTER 24: REGULATION OF PUBLIC LODGING FACILITIES

5-24.01 Definitions 5-24.02 Register required 5-24.03 Inspection of register 5-24.04 Violations: Penalties