South Lake Tahoe Municipal Code Art. I Nuisances Declared

The following are hereby declared to be nuisances affecting health:

A. All decayed or unwholesome food offered for sale to the public.

B. All diseased animals running at large.

C. All ponds or pools of stagnant water.

D. Carcasses of animals not buried or destroyed within 24 hours after death.

E. Accumulations of manure or rubbish.

F. Privy vaults and garbage cans which are not fly tight.

G. The pollution of any public or private well or cistern, stream, lake, canal or body of water by sewage, creamery or industrial wastes or other substances.

H. All noxious weeds and other rank growth upon public or private property.

I. All public exposure of persons having a contagious disease.

J. The use of a common public drinking cup or a roller towel.

K. The distribution of samples of medicine or drugs, unless such samples are placed in the hands of an adult person.

L. All other acts, omissions of acts, occupations and uses of property which are deemed by the county health department to be a nuisance to the health of the inhabitants of this city or any considerable number thereof.

M. Dense smoke, noxious fumes, gas and soot or cinders in unreasonable quantities.

(Ord. 50 § 1; Ord. 477 § 1; Ord. 608 § 1; Code 1997 § 17-1)

The following are hereby declared to be nuisances affecting the aesthetic health and welfare:

A. The existence or accumulation of litter, trash, scrap materials, junk parts, garbage, or refuse of any kind upon private real property; provided, that said refuse is visible to the occupants of an adjacent or nearby parcel of real property, or to the users of any right-of-way.

B. The existence of accumulation of dead or diseased vegetation.

C. Service stations which remain fenced or secured and inoperative and/or in a dilapidated or unsightly condition in excess of 180 days.

(Ord. 50 § 1; Ord. 477 § 2; Ord. 608 § 1; Ord. 798 § 1; Code 1997 § 17-2)

The following are hereby declared to be nuisances on commercial properties affecting the aesthetic health and welfare, and are prohibited:

A. Outside displays, including but not limited to the existence or accumulation of merchandise on the exterior of a business upon private property; provided, that said merchandise is visible to the occupants of an adjacent or nearby parcel of real property, or to the users of any public right-of-way or street and the outside display is not part of the primary use of the business as defined in Chapter 18 of the TRPA ordinance.

B. Outside storage, including but not limited to the existence or accumulation of supplies, merchandise, appliances, equipment, scrap materials, or junk parts of any kind; provided, that said merchandise is visible to the occupants of an adjacent or nearby parcel of real property, or to the users of any public right-of-way or street.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

1. Commercial businesses that are allowed outside storage or display as part of their primary use as defined in Chapter 18 of the TRPA ordinance.

2. Commercial businesses that have a pre-existing approved special use permit for outside display and/or storage.

3. Commercial businesses with an approved temporary activity permit.

4. Adornments in front of commercial businesses. Adornments are defined as merchandise displayed directly in front of a commercial business, in proximity to the entrance, that occupies no more than 16 square feet, does not interfere with required parking and does not encroach into the public right-of-way.

(Ord. 941 § 1; Code 1997 § 17-2.1)

The following are declared to be nuisances affecting public peace and safety:

A. The idling of diesel bus engines or other similar transit vehicles for periods longer than 15 minutes in duration within the city limits. The following projects and activities are not subject to this limitation:

1. Vehicles specifically permitted, after environmental impact analysis, to idle longer than 15 minutes;

2. Emergency vehicles, snow removal equipment, or combustion engines required in the case of emergencies or repairs;

3. Vehicles in transit on public rights-of-way.

B. A licensed operator must be present inside the vehicle at all times while the diesel engine is in operation.

C.

1. All trees, hedges, billboards, or other obstructions which prevent persons from having a clear view of traffic approaching an intersection from cross streets in sufficient time to bring a motor vehicle driven at a reasonable speed to a full stop before the intersection is reached.

2. All limbs of trees which are less than eight feet above the surface of any street or sidewalk.

3. All explosive, inflammable liquids and other dangerous substances stored in any manner or in any amount in violation of any law.

4. All use or display of fireworks in violation of law.

5. All loud and raucous noise.

6. All buildings and alterations to buildings made or erected in violation of the regulations concerning manner and materials of construction.

7. Obstructions and excavations affecting the ordinary use by the public of streets, alleys, sidewalks or public grounds except under such conditions as are provided by law.

8. Radio aerials strung in any manner in violation of any law.

9. Any use of property abutting upon a public street or sidewalk or any use of a public street or sidewalk which causes large crowds of people to gather, obstructing traffic and the free use of the streets and sidewalks.

10. All dangerous unguarded machinery in any public place or so situated or operated on private property as to attract the public.

11. All use of stationary loudspeakers in any part of the city in such manner as to disturb the peace of the inhabitants of the city.

(Ord. 50 § 1; Ord. 113 § 1; Ord. 608 § 1; Ord. 753 § 1; Code 1997 § 17-3)

A nuisance, in addition to the matters declared by SLTCC § 4.40.020, § 4.40.040 or § 4.40.050, is anything that any statute of the state or any provision of this code or any other ordinance of the city shall declare to be a nuisance.

(Ord. 50 § 1; Ord. 608 § 1; Code 1997 § 17-4)

Any person who shall knowingly cause or create a nuisance or permit any nuisance to be created upon or to remain upon any premises owned or occupied by him shall be guilty of a violation of this code.

(Ord. 50 § 1; Ord. 608 § 1; Code 1997 § 17-5)