Santa Cruz County Municipal Code Art. IV Storage And Accumulation Of Discarded Materials On Private Property

(A) Every person owning, occupying, or controlling any residential dwelling unit, industrial premises, commercial business, or other premises, other than a County resource management facility, where discarded materials are produced or accumulated, shall provide and maintain on the premises suitable containers in good repair and of sufficient capacity to store the accumulation of discarded materials during the intervals between collection, transport, processing, or disposal. Containers must be easily identifiable and accessible to tenants, employees, vendors, contractors, visitors, and customers, and must display proper signage of the approved and prohibited discarded material types for that container. Such containers may be provided and maintained by the County-authorized service provider(s). Generators may be required to exclusively use containers provided by the County-authorized service provider(s) in order to ensure that the containers are compatible with collection equipment and applicable law. The Director retains the right to require containers to meet certain standards, such as container color, labels, or other specifications, including, but not limited to, those specified in 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12, Article 3.

(B) In multi-family or multiple-occupancy structures or premises, it is the responsibility of the property owner or proprietor to provide and maintain suitable discarded materials containers in good repair and of sufficient capacity for tenants and visitors of the premises. The property owner or proprietor may be required to exclusively use containers provided by the County-authorized service provider(s) in order to ensure that the containers are compatible with collection equipment and applicable law. The Director retains the right to require containers to meet certain standards, such as container color, labels, or other specifications, including but not limited to those specified in 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12, Article 3.

(C) Every contractor or builder engaged in the erection or repair of a building shall provide containers of adequate capacity at or near such building for the deposit and storage of any waste resulting from the erection or repair work.

(D) In every case cited in subsections (A), (B) and (C) of this section, separate containers shall also be required for the deposit and storage of covered materials, pursuant to Articles VI and VII of this chapter, as may be generated on site by the conditions described therein.

(Ord. 5383 § 2, 2021)

It shall be unlawful for the owner, occupant, or manager of any premises to allow the accumulation of any discarded materials in, on, or under any premises at any time which is, or may become, a menace to health and sanitation or a fire hazard. It shall be unlawful for the owner, occupant, or manager of any premises to ever at any time suffer, permit, or allow any discarded materials of any kind to remain in, on, or under such premises for a period exceeding that allowed by applicable law. Any unauthorized accumulation of discarded materials on any property or premises is hereby declared an unlawful public nuisance, is hereby prohibited, and may be abated pursuant to Article X of this chapter.

(Ord. 5383 § 2, 2021)

Any industrial, commercial, or business establishment wherein discarded materials are handled, produced or stored in large quantities is subject to review by a County code enforcement officer. The person in possession of the establishment shall comply with such requirements as the enforcement officer may deem necessary for the sanitary storage, collection, transport, processing, or disposal of the waste on the premises.

(Ord. 5383 § 2, 2021)

Discarded materials containers shall not be placed on curbside or otherwise adjacent to streets or roadways to facilitate discarded materials collection more than 24 hours prior to pick-up time, and they shall be removed from the pick-up site within 24 hours after they have been emptied. Certain fees may be assessed for customers of the County-authorized service provider regarding proper use, care, and placement of collection containers; and these fees shall be described in the franchise agreement, if applicable.

(Ord. 5383 § 2, 2021)

Discarded materials containers on all premises shall be emptied and discarded materials shall be collected and properly transported to a County resource management facility or other approved location not less than once per week. Discarded materials may be collected and transported by a County-authorized service provider or self-hauled in accordance with SCCC § 7.20.250. A County code enforcement officer or other County-authorized designee may require occupants of the premises to manage, transport, or dispose of discarded materials in a prescribed manner or place. More frequent collection or transport of discarded materials may be required of premises where discarded materials are produced in such quantities, or are of such nature, that such increased frequency is necessary to prevent the occurrence of vector infestations or odor nuisances.

(Ord. 5383 § 2, 2021)

No person shall burn discarded materials unless such burning is conducted in a properly constructed incinerator approved by the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District. No person shall burn discarded materials except as permitted by the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District and the local fire authority.

(Ord. 5383 § 2, 2021)