Santa Fe Springs Municipal Code Ch. 136 Prohibited Uses of Public Property

For the purpose of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

Camp. To erect or occupy camp facilities or to use camp paraphernalia.

Camp Facilities. Means, but is not limited to, structures such as tents, huts, or other temporary shelters.

Camp Paraphernalia. Means, but is not limited to, tarpaulins, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks, outdoor cooking facilities and equipment, and similar equipment for living.

Habitation and Reside. The permanent or temporary occupancy by a person of a vehicle or structure for the purpose of providing permanent or temporary living quarters or sleeping quarters.

Personal Property. Any tangible property, and includes, but is not limited to, goods, materials, merchandise, electronics, solar panels, tents, tarpaulins, bedding, sleeping bags, hammocks, sheds, structures, mattresses, couches, chairs, other furniture, appliances, and personal items such as household items, luggage, backpacks, clothing, documents, and medication.

Public Property. Real property owned by the city, real property in which the city has a possessory interest and real property owned or controlled by the state as freeway right-of-way. Public Property includes, but is not limited to, public streets, public alleys, parkways as defined in § 96.001 of this Code of Ordinances, bridges, culverts, drains, public parks, city-owned parking structures, city-owned parking lots, and city-owned lots and yards whether landscaped or not.

Railroad Property. Railroad track right-of-way.

Store. To place or leave material things of any kind at a location.

Structure. That which is constructed, built, erected, or formed from any material. Structure includes, but is not limited to, buildings, huts, lean-tos, and tents. Structure does not include vehicles or motorized equipment.

Unattended. No person is present with the Personal Property who asserts or claims ownership of the Personal Property. Conversely, property is considered "Attended" if a person is present and claims ownership over the Personal Property.

Vehicle. A device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn, including a device moved by human or animal power. Vehicle includes, but is not limited to, automobiles as defined in § 155.003 of this Code of Ordinances, carts, trucks, trailers, truck tractors, truck trailers, wagons, campers as defined in § 155.003 of this Code of Ordinances, house cars as defined in § 155.003 of this Code of Ordinances, recreational vehicles, and buses.

(Ord. 1007, passed 1-14-10; Ord. No. 1157, passed 2-18-25)

(A) No person shall use public property or railroad property for habitation. No person shall reside in a vehicle or structure on public property except as part of a city-sponsored event.

(B) No person shall camp on public property or railroad property, except for camping that is part of a city-sponsored event.

(C) No person shall store personal property on public property. The city may store personal property on its public property.

(D) No person shall place a structure on public property. The city may place structures on its public property.

(Ord. 1007, passed 1-14-10)

(A) No person shall store Personal Property on public property or public right-of-way.

(B) No person shall store any Personal Property on public property in a manner that obstructs City operations, including street or sidewalk maintenance or cleaning.

(C) No person shall store Personal Property in a manner that prevents passage as provided in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 328 (1990), as amended from time to time.

(D) No person shall store Personal Property, whether attended or unattended, within:

(1) Ten feet from any operational or utilizable driveway or loading dock;

(2) Five feet from any operational or utilizable building entrance or exit; or

(3) Two feet of any fire hydrant, fire plug, or other fire department connection.

Without prior notice, the City may move and may immediately impound any Personal Property, whether attended or unattended, stored in violation of this subsection (D).

(E) Personal Property shall be deemed stored on public property if it has not been removed within 24 hours. Moving Personal Property to another location on public property shall not be considered "removing" the Personal Property.

(Ord. No. 1157, passed 2-18-25)

(A) With noted exceptions, before removing Personal Property the City shall provide written pre-removal notice to the person storing Personal Property, to the person claiming ownership over Personal Property, or notice shall be conspicuously posted on or near the Personal Property. The written notice shall contain the following information:

(1) The date and time the notice was posted;

(2) A general description of the Personal Property to be removed;

(3) The location from which the Personal Property will be removed;

(4) The City Code section(s) violated by storing the Personal Property;

(5) A statement that the Personal Property may be impounded if not removed within 48 hours after notice is given or posted;

(6) A statement that moving the Personal Property to another location on public property will not be considered removed;

(7) The address where removed Personal Property will be located, including the City's telephone number and website, and information on voluntary storage location; and

(8) A statement that removed Personal Property will be impounded and may be discarded is not claimed within 60 days after impoundment.

(B) The City may remove Personal Property without pre-removal notice when:

(1) An emergency exists, or the Personal Property poses an imminent threat to life, health, or safety;

(2) Any Personal Property is obstructing necessary City operations, such as street or sidewalk cleaning, the City may temporarily move attended or unattended Personal Property;

(3) Any Personal Property prevents passage as required by the ADA; or

(4) Any Personal Property is stored in violation of section 136.03(D).

(5) Any Personal Property obstructing County, State, Federal or Utilities access.

(Ord. No. 1157, passed 2-18-25)

Upon removal of stored Personal Property, a receipt shall be given to the Personal Property owner, or a written notice shall be conspicuously posted for five days in the area from which the unattended Personal Property was removed. The receipt or written notice shall contain the following information:

(A) A general description of the Personal Property removed;

(B) The date and approximate time the Personal Property was removed;

(C) The City Code section(s) violated by storing the Personal Property;

(D) The address where the Personal Property can be retrieved, when the Personal Property can be retrieved, and the City's telephone number and website where more information can be found on retrieving Personal Property;

(E) A statement that the removed Personal Property has been impounded and may be discarded if not claimed within 60 days after impoundment; and

(F) A statement that within 60 days the person may do any of the following:

(1) Retrieve the Personal Property;

(2) Authorize in writing another person to retrieve the Personal Property; or

(3) Notify the City in writing that they are in custody and unable to retrieve the Personal Property themselves or authorize another person to retrieve the Personal Property, and request that the City hold the Personal Property.

(Ord. No. 1157, passed 2-18-25)

(A) Except as provided herein, the City shall move Personal Property to a place of storage and maintain an inventory identifying the Personal Property, the date and time it was removed, and the location from which they were removed.

(B) Except as specified elsewhere, the City shall store impounded Personal Property for 60 days, after which time, if not claimed, will be considered abandoned and may be discarded. The City shall not be required to undertake any search for, or return, any impounded Personal Property stored for longer than 60 days.

(C) Any Personal Property determined to be dangerous to health or safety or perishable, or co-mingled with items posing a health risk, may be immediately disposed of without notice and in such a manner as determined to be in the public interest.

(D) Personal Property that reasonably appears to have been dumped or abandoned such as trash, garbage, debris, and/or broken items, may be immediately disposed of without notice and in such a manner as determined to be in the public interest.

(Ord. No. 1157, passed 2-18-25)

(A) The owner of impounded Personal Property may repossess the Personal Property prior to its disposal upon submitting satisfactory proof of ownership. A person may establish satisfactory proof of ownership by, among other methods, describing the location from and the date when the Personal Property was impounded, and providing a reasonably specific and detailed description of the Personal Property. Valid, government-issued identification is not required to claim impounded Personal Property.

(B) If a person submits a written request to the City to hold the Personal Property because the person is in custody and is unable to authorize another person to retrieve the Personal Property, the City shall hold the Personal Property for up to a maximum of ten additional months.

(Ord. No. 1157, passed 2-18-25)