Paso Robles Municipal Code Ch. 7.50 Camping

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 1143 N.S., § 2, adopted Aug. 20, 2024, amended Ch. 7.50 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Ch. 7.50, §§ 7.50.010—7.50.040, pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 20-1103 N.S., § 2, adopted Oct. 6, 2020.

The following definitions apply to the use of these terms in this chapter:

"Camp" means to pitch, erect or occupy an encampment, or to use camp paraphernalia, or both, for the purpose of, or in a way that facilitates, outdoor sheltering for living accommodation purposes or for remaining outdoors overnight.

"Camp paraphernalia" means personal property used to facilitate occupancy of an area and includes personal property typically associated with camping such as tarps, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks, bedding, camp stoves, cooking equipment, buckets and similar equipment, mattresses, couches, dressers, or other furniture.

"Encampment" means one or more temporary, makeshift, or hand-built structures not intended for long-term continuous occupancy, including tents, that are used to shelter one or more persons or their belongings and that are not authorized by the property owner. Encampment includes any camp paraphernalia and personal property associated with or located in or around the structures or tents.

"Open space" means any undeveloped public property either primarily in its natural state, including canyons, bluffs, and unimproved waterways, or that is held out by the city or used by the public for passive recreational purposes, conservation, habitat preservation, or that maintains or enhances the conservation of natural or scenic resources.

"Park" means any public property, whether developed or undeveloped, held out by the city or used by the public for active or passive park and recreation uses, including adjacent buffer lands and natural areas of any adjacent parking lots and perimeter sidewalks.

"Waste" means any rubbish, solid waste, liquid waste, infectious waste, or medical waste.

"Waterway" means all portions of the Salinas River corridor.

(Ord. No. 1143 N.S., § 2, 8-20-2024)

A. Camping. It is unlawful for any person to camp or to maintain an encampment in or upon any public property, including any street, sidewalk, park, open space, waterway, or banks of a waterway. Additionally, it is unlawful for any person to camp or maintain an encampment in or upon any land designated by this code as a high fire risk area.

B. Waterways. It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following:

1. Build or erect a structure of any type along the banks of any waterway, or drive a nail or other object into any tree or other natural area vegetation for the purpose of building an encampment or any other structure, or to affix an object to any tree or other natural vegetation;

2. Move boulders or large rocks, destroy vegetation, paved roads or paths created by the city, or otherwise reconfigure the natural landscape in the waters of or along the banks of a waterway;

3. Drive, park, or bring any vehicle along the banks of a waterway, except in places specifically provided and designated for vehicular use;

4. Dig on the banks of a waterway; or

5. Discharge or store waste, including garbage, refuse, or human or animal waste, along the banks or into the waters of a waterway.

C. Nothing in subsection (B) is intended to prohibit the 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; and nothing is intended to prohibit the activities of a lawful user if such activities are expressly authorized by the city manager or by any law, regulation, permit, order or other directive from a regulatory authority.

(Ord. No. 1143 N.S., § 2, 8-20-2024)

A. The city council may, by resolution, adopt procedures for the removal and recovery of personal property left upon lands where camping is prohibited per Section 7.50.020. Such procedures need not conform to those provided for in subsection (B) below.

B. Absent the city council's adoption of a resolution per subsection (A) above, personal property left upon lands where camping is prohibited for more than twenty-four hours may be removed by the city and may be recovered by the owner for up to ninety days.

(Ord. No. 1143 N.S., § 2, 8-20-2024)

A. Subsection (A) of Section 7.50.020 shall not apply to either of the following:

1. Any event involving camping that is approved or sponsored by the city.

2. Any person camping or maintaining an encampment on public property designated by city council resolution for such purposes.

(Ord. No. 1143 N.S., § 2, 8-20-2024)