Santa Barbara Municipal Code Ch. 17.16 Sanitation and Contamination of Harbor Waters

It is unlawful for any person to discharge, either directly or indirectly, any pollutant or contaminating substance or material, including rubbish, trash, litter, sewage, or refuse of any kind into the waters of the Santa Barbara Harbor District. The terms "pollutant" or "contaminating substance" also include ballast water, bilge water or waste water containing or contaminated with any paint, varnish, petroleum products, or other insoluble products in a liquid state. The terms "pollutant" or "contaminating substance" shall not include "wash down water," engine discharge or exhaust gas or substances normally contained in such discharges or exhausts, or galley sink, shower or hand basin water.

(Prior code §24.20; Ord. 3482 §1, 1971; Ord. 4757, 1992; Ord. 5282, 2003; Ord. 5458, 2008; Ord. 5901, 2019)

It is unlawful for any person to deposit, leave or discharge any pollutants or contaminating substances or materials mentioned in Section 17.16.010 of this chapter upon any street, walkway, breakwater, beach, parking lot or other place, where the same may be washed into the waters of Santa Barbara Harbor, either by tides, storm floods or other drainage.

(Ord. 3482 §2, 1971; Ord. 4757, 1992)

Within 10 days of a final judicial determination that Section 17.16.010 has been violated by the registered owner or operator of a vessel, the Waterfront Director shall advise the appropriate regional water quality control board, the State Water Quality Control Board, and any other appropriate governmental regulatory body of the facts and circumstances surrounding that finding.

(Ord. 3482 §4, 1971; Ord. 4757, 1992; Ord. 5282, 2003)

In an emergency which jeopardizes the safety of any vessel or its occupants, the provisions of Section 17.16.010 are inapplicable if the discharge of any pollutant or contaminating substance mentioned in Section 17.16.010 into the waters of the Harbor district is reasonably necessary to an attempt to avert the emergency.

(Ord. 3482 §5, 1971; Ord. 4757, 1992)

It is unlawful to dump, throw or set adrift material of any sort into the waters of the Harbor district that is, or might become, obstructive or dangerous to navigation.

(Prior code §24.21; Ord. 4757, 1992)

It is unlawful for any person to leave, or allow to remain, garbage of any description upon the shores, lands, floats, slips, or other structures in the Waterfront area. The Waterfront Director may remove the same with or without notice. Any person violating this provision shall be responsible for paying the costs of removal and shall be subject to the penalty provided for violations of this code.

(Prior code §24.23; Ord. 4757, 1992)

In addition to any other remedy or penalty provided by law, the City may, upon repetition of a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, revoke the right to use or moor, any vessel owned, operated, or used by the violator in the Harbor District.

(Ord. 3471 §5, 1971; Ord. 4757, 1992)