Chapter 1.10 — CODE ENFORCEMENT, GENERALLY

A. Title. Chapters 1.10 through 1.16 shall be known as the "code enforcement ordinance."

B. Scope. The provisions of this code shall apply to all existing premises and shall constitute minimum

requirements and standards for premises, structures, equipment and facilities for light, ventilation, space, heating,

sanitation, protection from the elements, life safety, safety from Kre and other hazards, and for safe and sanitary

maintenance; the responsibility of owners, operators and occupants; the occupancy of existing structures and

premises, and for administration, enforcement and penalties.

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 7 of 67

C. Intent. This chapter shall be constructed to secure its expressed intent, which is to ensure public health, safety

and welfare in so far as they are aNected by the continued occupancy and maintenance of structures and

premises. Existing structures and premises that do not comply with these provisions shall be altered or repaired to

provide a minimum level of health and safety as required herein.

D. Purpose. The city council establishes the procedures set forth in Chapters 1.10 through 1.16 for declaring and

addressing nuisance conditions and other violations of the municipal code, pursuant to Government Code Section

36900, et seq., Section 38660, Sections 38771 through 38775, inclusive, Section 53069.4, Section 54988, and all

other statutes and laws referenced herein. The purpose of Chapters 1.10 through 1.16 is to provide criminal, civil,

and administrative remedies, which shall be in addition to all other legal remedies that may be pursued by the city,

to prevent, discourage, abate, or otherwise address any nuisance condition or violation of this chapter, as that

term is deKned in Section 1.10.020.

(Ord. 2385 NCS §1, 2010; Ord. 2250 NCS §3, 2006.)

A. Application. This chapter shall apply to all existing residential and nonresidential buildings, structures, and

lands and portions thereof without regard to the use, date of construction, improvement, or alteration. Where, in

a speciKc case, diNerent sections of this code specify diNerent requirements, the most restrictive shall govern.

B. Existing Buildings. Buildings and portions thereof in existence at the time of the adoption of this chapter may

have their existing use or occupancy continued if the use or occupancy was legal at the time of the original use or

occupancy; and provided, that continued use or occupancy is not dangerous to life, health, and safety.

C. Historic Buildings. This chapter does not apply to existing buildings, structures, or premises designated by the

state or city as historic when such buildings, structures, or premises are judged by the building oMcial to be safe

and do not contain unhealthy conditions.

D. Maintenance. All equipment, devices, systems, and safeguards required by this code or previously adopted

codes under which the structures or premises were constructed, altered, or repaired shall be maintained in good

working order, except for such temporary interruption as necessary while repairs or alterations are in progress.

E. Relocation. Existing buildings and structures that are moved or relocated shall be made to conform to the

requirements of this code.

F. Application of Other Codes. Repairs, additions or alterations to a structure, or changes of occupancy, shall be

done in accordance with the procedures and provisions of the adopted uniform codes in Title 17, as the same may

be amended from time to time. Nothing in this code shall be constructed to cancel, modify or set aside any

provisions of the city of Petaluma zoning ordinance.

G. Existing Remedies. The provisions in this chapter shall not be constructed to abolish or impair existing

remedies of the city or its oMcers or agencies relating to the removal or demolition of any structure which is

dangerous, unsafe and unsanitary.

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 8 of 67

H. Workmanship. Repairs, maintenance work, alterations or installations which are caused directly or indirectly

by the enforcement of this code shall be executed and installed in a workmanlike manner and installed in

accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

I. Referenced Codes and Standards. The codes and standards referenced in this chapter shall be those that are

adopted in Title 17, as the same may be amended from time to time, and shall be considered part of the

requirements of this chapter to the prescribed extent of each such reference. Where diNerences occur between

provisions of this chapter and the referenced standards, the most restrictive shall govern.

J. Requirements Not Covered by Code. Requirements necessary for the strength, stability or proper operation of

an existing Kxture, structure or equipment, or for the public safety, health and general welfare, not speciKcally

covered by this chapter, shall be determined by the code oMcial.

(Ord. 2385 NCS §1, 2010.)

The terms that appear in quotation marks below shall be deKned as follows:

"Abatement order" and "administrative order" shall mean an order issued by a code oMcial or by a hearing oMcer

following an appeal hearing or an order to show cause hearing.

"Administrative costs" shall mean that segment of costs of abatement that includes staN time expended that was

reasonably related to enforcement activities under Chapters 1.10 through 1.16. Administrative costs shall include,

but not be limited to, site inspections and reinspections, third-party inspections, investigations, printing, research,

preparation of summaries, reports, notices, and the time and expense of preparing for and attending meetings

and/or hearings related to abatement proceedings. The hourly rate for staN time shall be set by the city council

and may be revised from time to time.

"ANected property" shall mean any real property or portions thereof within city boundaries, including any

buildings or other improvements located on such property, where nuisance conditions or other code violations

allegedly exist or have previously existed.

"Approved" shall mean approved by the code oMcial.

"Basement" shall mean that portion of a building which is partly or completely below grade.

"Bathroom" shall mean a room containing plumbing Kxtures including a bathtub or shower.

"Bedroom" shall mean any room or space used or intended to be used for sleeping purposes in either a dwelling

or sleeping unit.

"Blight" or "blighted" shall mean unsightly conditions, including, but not limited to: the accumulation of debris;

fences characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling, or rusting; landscaping that is dead,

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 9 of 67

characterized by uncontrolled growth or lack of maintenance, or is damaged; and the exterior visible use or

display of tarps, plastic sheeting, or similar materials as Lexible or inLexible screening, fencing, wall covering, or

rooKng upon a residential lot, regardless of the condition of other properties in the neighborhood.

"Building code" shall mean the uniform codes adopted in Title 17 that regulate the design, construction, and the

quality of materials, use, and occupancy, location, and maintenance of all building and structures within the city.

"City" shall mean the city of Petaluma.

"Code" or "this code" shall mean the city’s municipal code, zoning ordinance, all uniform codes that have been

incorporated into the city’s municipal code, and any applicable local, state or federal laws and regulations that are

or may be enforced by the city, including without limitation the State Housing Law (Health and Safety Code Section

17910 et seq.).

"Code oMcial" shall mean the oMcial who is charged with the administration and enforcement of this code, or any

duly authorized representative.

"Compliance" shall mean all actions required to remove, alleviate, eliminate, halt, or mitigate a nuisance condition

or other violation of this code in the manner and in the time frame prescribed by an enforcement oMcer, hearing

oMcer, or city council.

"Condemn" shall mean to adjudge unKt for occupancy.

"Costs of abatement" shall mean all costs incurred by the city in connection with achieving compliance with an

abatement order, including, but not limited to, any cost incurred by the city in performing or contracting for work

required to achieve compliance with an abatement order, administrative costs, and costs of prosecuting any

nuisance condition or other violation of this code, including attorneys’ fees, all as permitted by law.

"Day" or "days" shall mean calendar days.

"Debris" shall mean an accumulation of materials having little or no apparent value or utility, including, but not

limited to: deteriorated lumber; old newspapers; furniture parts; stoves; sinks; cabinets; household Kxtures;

refrigerators; car parts; abandoned, broken or neglected equipment; unstacked Krewood; or lack of maintenance.

"Deterioration" shall mean a lowering in quality of the condition or appearance of a building, structure or premises

or parts thereof, characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling, rusting, or any other evidence of

physical decay, damage, neglect, or lack of maintenance.

"Dwelling unit" shall mean a room or group of internally connected rooms that have sleeping, cooking, eating, and

sanitation facilities.

Electrical Code. See "Building code."

"Enforcement action" shall mean any notice of violation, hearing, citation, investigation, complaint or petition, or

any administrative or judicial order under authority of Chapters 1.10 through 1.16 or pursuant to any other legal

authority.

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 10 of 67

"Enforcement oMcer" means any person authorized or directed by the city manager to enforce any provision of

this code, including any peace oMcer. In addition to any other powers conferred upon him or her by this code or

by any other law, an enforcement oMcer shall have the authority to issue a notice to appear, issue an

administrative citation, or issue a notice of violation, if the enforcement oMcer has cause to believe that a violation

of this code was, or is being, committed or that any nuisance conditions exist.

"Extermination" shall mean the control and elimination of insects, rats or other pests by eliminating their

harborage places; by removing or making inaccessible materials that serve as their food; by poison spraying,

fumigating, trapping, or by any other approved pest elimination methods.

"Exterior opening" shall mean any open or closed window, door, or passage between interior and exterior spaces.

Fire Code. See "Building code."

"Garbage" shall mean the animal or vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and

consumption of food.

"Guard" shall mean a building component or a system of building components located at or near the open sides of

elevated walking surfaces that minimizes the possibility of a fall from the walking surface to a lower level.

"Habitable space" shall mean space in structure for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms,

closets, halls, storage or utility spaces, and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.

"Health oMcer" shall mean a representative of the Sonoma County health department who is authorized to

enforce the health regulations in the city of Petaluma.

"Hearing oMcer" shall mean any person or persons appointed by the city council, or by any person designated by

the city council to make the appointment, to conduct a hearing pursuant to Chapters 1.10 through 1.16.

"Hot water" shall mean water supplied to a plumbing Kxture at a temperature of not less than one hundred

twenty degrees Fahrenheit (forty-nine degrees Celsius).

"Imminent hazard" or "imminent danger" shall mean any condition associated with real property that places a

person’s life, health, or property in high risk of peril when such a condition is immediate, impending, or on the

point of happening or menacing.

"Infestation" shall mean the apparent presence of unpleasant, damaging, or unhealthful insects, rodents, reptiles,

or pests.

"Inoperative vehicle" shall mean any vehicle which requires licensing through the Department of Motor Vehicles

which cannot legally be driven upon the public streets for any reason including but not limited to being

unlicensed, non-operative status, wrecked, abandoned, in a state of disrepair, or incapable of being moved under

its own power.

"Luminaire" shall mean a tungsten, incandescent, or Luorescent light Ktting.

Mechanical Code. See "Building code."

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 11 of 67

"Nuisance condition" shall mean any condition described in Civil Code Section 3479 or this chapter, and shall also

include, but not be limited to, any violation of this code.

"Occupancy" shall mean the purpose for which a building or portion thereof is utilized or occupied.

"Occupant" shall mean the person or persons having a right of present possession of the aNected property, if

other than the owner, including without limitation tenant(s), subtenant(s), lessee(s), sublessee(s), or assignee(s), or

any authorized agent of same.

"Owner" shall mean the owner(s) of record of the aNected property, and shall include any authorized agent(s) of

the owner(s) of record.

"Penalty" shall mean an administrative Kne or penalty imposed on the responsible party, pursuant to Sections

Plumbing Code. See "Building code."

"Pond" or "pool" shall mean a body of water that is in excess of twenty-four inches deep.

"Premises" shall mean a lot, plot or parcel of land, easement or public way, including any structures located

thereon.

"Responsible party" shall mean any person, Krm, association, club or organization (including informal clubs or

organizations), corporation, partnership, trust(ee), or entity, and a parent or legal guardian of any person(s) under

eighteen years of age, whose acts or omissions have caused or contributed to a violation of this code, and shall

include any owner(s) or occupant(s) of the aNected property.

"Rubbish" shall mean combustible and noncombustible waste materials, except garbage; the term shall include

the residue from the burning of wood, coal, coke, and other combustible materials, paper rags, cartons, boxes,

wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, cans, metals, mineral matter, glass, crockery and

dust and other similar materials.

"Sleeping unit" shall mean a room or space in which people sleep, which can also include permanent provisions

for living, eating and either sanitation or kitchen facilities, but not both. Such rooms that are also part of a dwelling

unit are not sleeping units.

"Smoke detector" shall mean an approved detector that senses visible or invisible particles of combustion.

"Sound condition" shall mean any structure, building, or component that is in a condition to withstand designed or

anticipated loads. This would include maintenance for weather protection, free of deterioration and damage.

"Structure" shall mean that which is built or constructed or a portion thereof.

"Structure unKt for human occupancy" shall mean a structure that is unKt for human occupancy whenever the

code oMcial Knds that such structure is unsafe, unlawful or, because of the degree to which the structure is in

disrepair or lacks maintenance, is unsanitary, vermin or rat infested, contains Klth and contamination, or lacks

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 12 of 67

ventilation, illumination, sanitary or heating facilities or other essential equipment required by this code, or

because the location of the structure constitutes a hazard to the occupants of the structure or to the public.

"This chapter" shall mean these code enforcement chapters (Chapters 1.10 through 1.16) as enacted and as the

same may be amended from time to time.

"Toilet room" shall mean a room containing a water closet or urinal but not a bathtub or shower.

"Unlawful structure" shall mean a structure that is found in whole or in part to be occupied by more persons than

permitted under this code, or was erected, altered or occupied contrary to law.

"Unsafe equipment" shall mean any boiler, heating equipment, elevator, moving stairway, electrical wiring or

device, Lammable liquid containers or other equipment on the premises or within the structure which is in such

disrepair or condition that such equipment is a hazard to life, health, property or safety of the public or occupants

of the premises or structure.

"Unsafe structure" shall mean a structure that is found to be dangerous to the life, health, property or safety of

the public or the occupants of the structure by not providing minimum safeguards to protect or warn occupants in

the event of Kre, or because the structure contains unsafe equipment or is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated,

structurally unsafe or of such faulty construction or unstable foundation that partial or complete collapse is

possible.

"Vegetation" shall mean plant life of any kind, whether living or dead, characterized as grass, weeds, bushes,

shrubs, and trees.

"Vehicle" shall mean any vehicle which requires licensing through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

"Ventilation" shall mean the natural or mechanical process of supplying conditioned or unconditioned air to, or

removing such air from, any space.

"Weed" shall mean a useless and troublesome plant generally accepted as having no value and frequently of

uncontrolled growth, not including native vegetation.

"Workmanlike" shall mean work that is executed in a skilled manner; e.g., generally plumb, level, square, in line,

undamaged and without marring adjacent work.

"Yard" shall mean an open space on the same lot with a structure.

(Ord. 2385 NCS §1, 2010; Ord. 2250 NCS §3, 2006. Formerly 1.10.030.)

Any violation of this chapter is unlawful and is hereby declared to be a nuisance. Any violation of this chapter may

be prosecuted or enforced through any of the enforcement remedies provided in Chapters 1.10 through 1.16. In

addition to the remedies provided in Chapters 1.10 through 1.16, the city expressly reserves the right to utilize

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Title 1 General Provisions | Petaluma Municipal Code Page 13 of 67

enforcement remedies available under any applicable state or federal statute or pursuant to any other lawful

power the city may possess. All such remedies shall be alternative to or in conjunction with, and not exclusive of,

one another. The election of remedies provided by Chapters 1.10 through 1.16 or other applicable law shall be at

the sole discretion of city oMcials. A hearing oMcer may order the abatement of any nuisance condition, including

abatement by the city, following proper notice and an opportunity for a hearing. However, no notice or hearing is

required to abate a nuisance condition pursuant to the summary abatement authority set forth in Chapter 1.15.

(Ord. 2385 NCS §1, 2010; Ord. 2250 NCS §3, 2006. Formerly 1.10.040.)

A. General. When a structure or equipment is found by the code oMcial to be unsafe, or when a structure is

found unKt for human occupancy, or is found unlawful, such structure or equipment may be condemned pursuant

to the provisions of this code.

B. Closing of Vacant Structures. If the structure is vacant or unKt for human habitation and occupancy, and it is

not in danger of structural collapse, the code oMcial is authorized to post a placard of condemnation of the

premises and order the structure closed up so as not to be an attractive nuisance. Upon failure of the owner to

close up the premises within the time speciKed in the order, the code oMcial may cause the premises to be closed

and secured through any available public agency or by the contract or arrangement by private persons and the

cost thereof shall be charged against the real estate upon which the structure is located and shall be a lien upon

such real estate and may be collected by any other legal resource as described in Chapter 1.14.

C. Notice. Whenever the code oMcial has condemned a structure or equipment under the provisions of this

section, notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place in or about the structure aNected by such notice and served

on the owner or the person or persons responsible for the structure or equipment in accordance with Chapters