Chapter 4.52 — ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FEES

Editor's note— Ord. No. 640.15, §§ 1—13, adopted May 20, 2025, amended chapter 4.52 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former chapter 4.52, §§ 4.52.010—4.52.150, pertained to similar subject matter, and derived from Ord. No. 640.14, § 1, 7-15-2014.

Whenever in this chapter the following terms are used, they shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:

"Department" means the county department of environmental health.

"Director" means the director of the department of environmental health for the county, or his or her designated representative.

"Person" means any person, firm, partnership, corporation, association, club, organization, or governmental entity.

"Permit" means the certificate issued by the director which allows a facility to operate. The issuance of this permit does not indicate or imply that the facility follows all state and county regulations related to its operation; and may be suspended or revoked by the department.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 1, 5-20-2025)

The purpose of this chapter is to establish fees sufficient to offset the expenses of the director in enforcing state statutes, orders, quarantines, rules and regulations relating to public or environmental health, which expenses are found not to be met by the fees prescribed by the State of California. The authority for this chapter is contained in Section 101325 of the California Health and Safety Code and in Section 43213 of the Public Resources Code.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 2, 5-20-2025)

This chapter shall be enforceable within the area in which the director enforces any State statute order, quarantine, rule, regulation or ordinance relating to public or environmental health, including incorporated as well as unincorporated territory.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 3, 5-20-2025)

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4.52.030, any provision of this chapter which is duplicated in scope by a valid municipal ordinance shall not be applicable in the incorporated territory affected by such municipal ordinance.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 4, 5-20-2025)

If a person conducts more than one of the activities for which a permit is required, that person shall obtain a separate permit for each such activity.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 5, 5-20-2025)

A permit issued under this chapter may be issued at any time during the year. All such permits shall expire one year from the date of issuance on the last calendar day of the month of issuance, except for the following:

A.

A permit for certificate of competency relating to the inspection of a backflow prevention device, which permit shall be valid for a period of three years from its issuance and shall expire the 30th day of September of the third year.

B.

A permit relating to a community event shall be valid for no longer than twenty-five (25) days within a ninety-day period from the effective date of such permit, as evidenced thereon.

C.

A permit relating to a vending machine, mobile food facility, mobilehome park, special occupancy park, annual temporary food facility, poultry ranch shall be valid until the 31st day of December of the calendar year in which such permit is issued.

D.

A permit relating to a temporary recreational vehicle park which permit shall be valid for eleven (11) days from the effective date of such permit, as evidenced thereon.

E.

An annual operating permit for public water systems, state small water systems or labor camp water systems shall be valid from the date of processing

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 6, 5-20-2025)

A.

The delinquency date shall be the 31st day following the invoice date.

B.

Penalties shall be applied to delinquent invoices as following, except as noted in subsection C.:

Any invoice that is thirty-one (31) days past the original invoice date shall be assessed an additional fee of twenty (20) percent of the permit or base fee(s).

Any invoice that is sixty-one (61) days past the original invoice date shall be assessed an additional fee of eighty (80) percent of the permit or base fee(s).

The total amount of penalties for delinquencies shall not exceed one hundred (100) percent of the permit or base fee(s).

C.

The following exceptions to sections A. and B. shall apply:

Delinquent fees for mobilehome park and special occupancy parks will be charged per CCR, Title 25, Div. 1, Chapter 2 Sections 1009 and 2009.

Temporary food facility event, in which case the permit specified in this chapter shall be delinquent if not obtained earlier than ten working days prior to the day such activity is commenced.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 7, 5-20-2025)

Applications for permits shall be filed with the department on a form to be provided by the department. Any individual person seeking to apply for a permit with the department shall provide proof of a current and valid federal or state government issued picture identification card with the application. Completed

applications shall be accompanied by the required fee and penalty, if any. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, such fees shall not be refundable.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 8, 5-20-2025)

No permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall be transferable unless allowable by law. A transfer fee may be collected to process and record the transaction.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 9, 5-20-2025)

Every person issued a valid permit pursuant to this chapter shall post the permit in a conspicuous place selected by the director. The permit may be revoked by the director for a facility's noncompliance with county, state and federal laws and regulations.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 10, 5-20-2025)

No person, corporation, association, firm, business, or entity shall operate, perform, carry on, conduct or engage in any of the activities delineated in this section without paying the fee listed in this section for the activity and obtaining a permit therefore from the department of environmental health.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 11, 5-20-2025)

Prior to July 1st each year, the fees specified in section 4.52.130 and Attachment A may be revised to align with the budget year, consistent with that budget year adoption by the board of supervisors and subject to their approval.

A reasonable cost recovery method, in accordance with professional accounting standards, will be used in a separate board action regarding this chapter. The revised fees shown in Attachment A below [in Ordinance No. 640.15] will generate adequate revenue to cover anticipated costs of providing services in the forthcoming fiscal year in which fees are implemented.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 12, 5-20-2025)

A.

Infractions. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as prescribed in Riverside County Ordinance No. 725.

B.

Misdemeanor. Notwithstanding the foregoing in subsection A. of this section, a first and subsequent offense may be charged and prosecuted as a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as provided by Penal Code, Section 19 as amended. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense.

C.

Correction of violations. Payment of any penalty established by this chapter shall not relieve a person from responsibility of correcting any violation of this chapter, statute or regulation nor shall it relieve a person from the payment of a late fee imposed under this chapter.

(Ord. No. 640.15, § 13, 5-20-2025)