Riverside County Municipal Code Art. 1 General Use

For the purpose of this article, the following words are defined and shall be construed as having the following meanings:

"Firearm" includes the following: cannon, gun, pistol, revolver, automatic pistol, rifle, shotgun, air gun, pellet gun and any other weapon designed to discharge one or more projectiles propelled by the expansion of gas.

Loaded Rifle or Shotgun. A rifle or shotgun shall be deemed to be loaded when there is an unexpended cartridge or shell in the firing chamber but not when the only cartridges or shells are in the magazine.

(Ord. 514.10 § 1, 1996)

For the purpose of this article the county is divided into two zones, the "western zone" and the "eastern zone."

A. The western zone is defined as: that portion of the county lying westerly of the following line:

Beginning at the Riverside-San Bernardino County line on the center line of the Banning Canyon Road; thence Southerly, along the said center line of the Banning Canyon Road to a point of intersection with the center line of U.S. Highway 10; thence Westerly, along the said center line of U.S. Highway 10 to a point of intersection with the center line of Lambs Canyon Road, (now known as State Highway 79); thence Southerly and Easterly, along the said center line of State Highway 79 to a point of intersection with the center line of Soboba Road; thence Southeasterly, along the said center line of Soboba Road to the West line of Section 5, T5S, R1E, SMB; thence Southerly, along the said West line of Section 5, T5S, R1E, SBM., to the Southerly line of San Jacinto River; thence Easterly and Southeasterly, along the said Southerly line of San Jacinto River to the East line of Section 14, T5S, R1E, SBM., said East line of Section 14, also being a portion of the West boundary line of the San Bernardino National Forest; thence Southerly, along the said East line of Section 14, and Southerly along the said West line of the San Bernardino National Forestry Boundary, to the Southeast corner of Section 35, T5S, R1E, SBM.; thence Westerly, along the South lines of Section 35, 34, 33, 32, and 31, of T5S, R1E, SBM., and continuing Westerly along the South lines of Sections 36, 35 and the South line of the E 1/2 of Section 34, to a point of intersection with the centerline of State Street, thence Southerly, along the said center line of State Street to a point of intersection with the center line of Cactus Valley Road; thence Easterly, along the said center line of Cactus Valley Road to a point of intersection with the center line of Sage Road; thence Southerly, Southeasterly and Easterly along the various courses of the said center line of Sage Road, to a point of intersection with the center line of the Temecula-Aguanga Road, (Also known as State Highway 71); thence Southeasterly, along the said center line of Temecula-Aguanga Road (Also known as State Highway 71) to a point of intersection with the Riverside-San Diego County line.

B. The eastern zone is defined as that portion of the county lying easterly of the line described in subsection A of this section.

(Ord. 514.10 § 2, 1996)

A. It is unlawful in either the western zone or the eastern zone for any person to shoot or discharge any firearm within three hundred (300) yards of any occupied or unoccupied building, house or dwelling place, without the written consent of the owner or occupant thereof, or any shotgun within one hundred fifty (150) yards, or any other firearm within three hundred (300) yards of any corral, paddock, feed yard, dairy, barn or other farm building where cattle, horses, sheep or other animals are raised, milked, fed, trained, housed or confined, without the written consent of the owner or operator thereof, or within three hundred (300) yards of any park, public campgrounds, or state riding and hiking trail, or for any person to shoot or discharge within three hundred (300) yards of any public highway, public road or public street any firearm other than a shotgun used in lawfully hunting game pursuant to a valid hunting license.

B. It is unlawful in either the western zone or the eastern zone for any person to shoot or discharge within one mile of any incorporated city any firearm, other than a shotgun used in lawfully hunting game pursuant to a valid hunting license.

C. It is unlawful in either the western zone or the eastern zone to shoot or discharge any firearm between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise of the following day.

(Ord. 514.10 §§ 3—5, 1996)

It is unlawful in the western zone for any person to shoot or discharge any firearm, or to have in his or her possession within said zone any loaded rifle or shotgun except as follows:

A. The discharging of a shotgun used in lawfully hunting game pursuant to a valid hunting license, or the possession of a loaded shotgun used in lawfully hunting game pursuant to a valid hunting license shall be permitted in the western zone during the period July 4th through January 15th, inclusive, of each year; provided, however, that this subsection shall not be construed to permit the discharging to a shotgun or the possession of a loaded shotgun within the boundaries of any closed area described in Section 9.20.060.

B. The discharging of a firearm used in lawfully hunting deer by persons possessing valid deer license tag or permits, or the possession of a loaded rifle or shotgun used in lawfully hunting deer by such persons shall be permitted in the following described area in the western zone during that deer hunting season as is from time to time prescribed for such area by the rules and regulations of the fish and game commission, or by statute:

That portion of the western zone lying south and west of the following line:

U.S. Highway 60 easterly from the Riverside-San Bernardino County Line to U.S. Highway 395, U.S. Highway 395 southerly to State Highway 74, State Highway 74 easterly to County Road R-3 in the town of Hemet, southerly on County Road R-3 through the town of Sage to State Highway 71 at the town of Radec, Southeasterly on State Highway 71 to State Highway 79 near the town of Aguanga, southeasterly on State Highway 79 to the Riverside County Line.

(Ord. 514.10 § 6, 1996)

All county highways leading into the western zone shall be posted with appropriate signs indicating that the discharge of firearms, or the possession of loaded rifles or shotguns is prohibited except as permitted by the provisions of this article.

(Ord. 514.10 § 7, 1996)

It is unlawful in either the western zone or the eastern zone for any person to shoot or discharge any firearm or to have in his or her possession any loaded rifle or shotgun within the boundaries of the hereinafter described areas, which areas are set aside as "closed areas":

A. Pine Cove Area. The southwest quarter of Section 1, the south half of Section 2, and all of Section 11, T5S, R2E.

B. Reche Canyon Area. Sections 11, 12 and 13, T2W, R4W, and Sections 7, 17, and 18 and the north half of Section 19, T2S, R3W.

C. Lake Fulmor Area. Within one-half mile on each side of Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway between Vista Grande Forest Protection Station and the intersection of the Marion Mountain Road.

D. Old Banning-Idyllwild Road Area. Sections 19, 20, 21, 29 and the south half of Sections 16 and 17, T3S, R1E.

E. Northwest Area. The portion of the county lying northerly and westerly of the following described line:

Beginning at the intersection of Limonite Avenue and the west county boundary; thence easterly along Limonite Avenue to Etiwanda Avenue; thence southerly along the line of Etiwanda Avenue to the center line of the Santa Ana River, thence easterly along the center line of the Santa Ana River to the city limit of the City of Riverside; thence easterly and northerly along said city limit to its northwesterly corner at Bowie Street; thence westerly to the east bank of the Santa Ana River; thence northerly along said east bank to the north county boundary.

F. Cabazon Area. Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, T3S, R2E, SBBM.

G. Garner Valley Area. Sections 9, 10, 15, 25 and 36 of T6S, R3E. Section 31, and 32 of T6S, R4E; the west half of Section 5, Section 6, north half of Section 7, Section 8, of T7S, R4E. Section 1 of T7S, R3E; excluding all property in those sections that are part of the U.S. National Forest and owned by the U.S. Government.

(Ord. 514.10 § 8, 1996)

All county highways leading into the closed areas shall be posted with appropriate signs indicating that the discharge of firearms is prohibited within such areas.

(Ord. 514.10 § 9, 1996)

The provisions of this article shall not apply to the following persons:

A. Any peace officer or member of the armed services while acting in the lawful discharge of his or her duties;

B. Any person using a firearm in the lawful defense of himself or herself, another person or property;

C. Any person possessing a loaded firearm or discharging a firearm or causing a firearm to be discharged at an established firing, shooting or target range, or hunting or gun club, or on a properly constructed indoor home range on private property under his or her ownership or control;

D. Any person possessing a loaded firearm or discharging a firearm or causing a firearm to be discharged on private property under his or her ownership or control situated in the eastern zone, or any person possessing a loaded firearm or discharging a firearm or causing a firearm to be discharged on private property situated in the eastern zone after having first obtained the written consent of the owner or person controlling such property, except where the area in question is listed as a no shooting area under Section 9.20.060(G) in which case shooting shall be prohibited entirely.

(Ord. 514.10 § 10, 1996)

It is unlawful for any person to violate any provision of this article. Any person violating any provision of this article shall be deemed guilty of an infraction or misdemeanor as hereinafter specified. Such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions of this article, is committed, continued, or permitted.

Any person so convicted shall be: (1) guilty of an infraction offense and punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) for a first violation; (2) guilty of an infraction offense and punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a second violation. The third and any additional violations shall constitute a misdemeanor offense and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or six months in jail, or both. Notwithstanding the above, a first offense may be charged and prosecuted as a misdemeanor. Payment of any penalty in this article shall not relieve a person from the responsibility for correcting the violation.

(Ord. 514.10 § 11, 1996)