Petaluma Municipal Code Ch. 3.12 Sale or Disposal of Surplus City Property

Personal property owned by the city and no longer required for use by the city shall be considered surplus. (Ord.

2302 NCS §2, 2008.)

dollars.

The city council may direct, by resolution, the city to sell or dispose of surplus property with a residual value of

more than twenty-Fve thousand dollars as provided herein. (Ord. 2302 NCS §2, 2008.)

dollars.

A. The city manager may sell or dispose of surplus property with a residual value of less than twenty-Fve

thousand dollars as provided herein.

B. The city manager is authorized to discard or otherwise dispose of damaged, useless or valueless surplus

property when costs associated with storing, transporting and/or selling such property would exceed the

anticipated revenues to be realized from a sale.

C. If determined to be more advantageous to the city than a sale of surplus property, the city council or city

manager may direct and/or solicit a trade-in or exchange allowance on the purchase of other public property

pursuant to Chapter 4.04 of this code, in exchange for the surplus property.

(Ord. 2302 NCS §2, 2008.)

The sale or disposal authorized by this chapter shall be held by the city manager or designee in the following

manner:

A. The city manager or designee shall cause to be posted in the public posting place in the City Hall a general

description of the property to be sold.

B. The city manager or designee shall issue a request for bids and shall sell to the highest bidder, unless the city

manager determines in his/her discretion that it is in the best interests of the city to make such sale by private

sale, in which case the sale may be conducted without public bidding.

C. All sales shall be for cash, personal check, money order or credit card.

D. The city manager or designee is authorized to sign bills of sale and any other papers or documents evidencing

such sales or transactions for and on behalf of the city.

E. Prior to executing a bill of sale for property covered by this chapter, the city manager or designee shall obtain

a written waiver from the purchaser releasing the city and its oHcials, oHcers and employees from all liability

related to the sale. All property sold pursuant to this chapter must be accepted by the purchaser "as is" without

any warranty or guarantee regarding the condition of the property or its suitability for any intended use.

F. When a city oHcial, oHcer or employee, including but not limited to city council members, the city manager,

administrative services director, department directors or city employees or contractors have participated in

decisions to dispose of surplus property, and/or have access to information regarding the surplus property or the

value thereof which is not available to or known by all public bidders, that oHcial, oHcer, employee and/or

contractor shall not either directly or indirectly bid for or purchase surplus property or take possession of property

disposed of under the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 2302 NCS §2, 2008.)

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any police vehicles declared to be surplus, regardless of

value, may be sold by the city manager to any educational institution, or political subdivision thereof, without

public auction or advertisement for bids, if the city manager Fnds that the sale will enhance peace oHcer training.

B. The city manager or designee is authorized to sign bills of sale and any other papers or documents evidencing

sales under this section.

(Ord. 2302 NCS §2, 2008.)

All moneys received in consummating any sales authorized by this chapter shall be deposited to the credit of the

appropriate fund of the city. (Ord. 2302 NCS §2, 2008.)

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

Disclaimer: The city clerk’s oHce has the oHcial version of the Petaluma Municipal Code. Users should contact the

city clerk’s oHce for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above.

City Website: cityofpetaluma.net

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