Sec. 19-11. - Nudity prohibited on public property and on private property open to…

(a)

The board of supervisors of Sonoma County hereby finds and declares that the parks, playgrounds, beaches and places hereof shall be available for the use, benefit, recreation and enjoyment of all citizens and residents of this county; it is in the public interest, and necessary to the public health, safety and welfare that said places be utilized and enjoyed by as many persons as possible; the presence of persons in a state of nudity on any public property or on any private property open to public view from any public beach, playground, park, public place or public right-of-way, unreasonably interferes with the right of all persons to use and enjoy said places, discourages the use and enjoyment of said places, creates a nuisance, and is offensive to the senses of members of the public who wish to use and enjoy said places and who are unwillingly exposed to such conduct, is offensive to the senses of persons residing in the vicinity of such places and interferes with said residents' free use and comfortable enjoyment of their property; such conduct and behavior imposes an extraordinary and unusual burden on county employees charged with the maintenance of said places and the preservation of the safety and wellbeing thereof.

(b)

Except as otherwise provided in Section 20-16, it shall be unlawful for any person over the age of ten (10) years to appear in the unincorporated are of Sonoma County on or in any public place, or in any place open to the public or exposed to public view in such a manner that the genitals, vulva, pubis, pubic symphysis, pubic hair, buttocks, natal cleft, perineum, anus, anal region, or pubic hair region of any person, or any portion of the areola of the breast of any female person other than a female person breast-feeding a child, is exposed to public view or is not covered by an opaque covering.

(c)

It is the intent of this board of supervisors to prohibit nudity on public property and on private property open to public view even when such nudity is not sexually motivated or otherwise lewd.

(d)

This section shall not apply to live theatrical performances performed in a theater, concert hall or other similar establishment.

(e)

Upon the first conviction for violation of this section, every person so convicted is guilty of an infraction and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00). Upon the second and each subsequent conviction for violation of this ordinance, every person so convicted is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. No. 3918; Ord. No. 2422.)