Stanton Municipal Code Ch. 12.36 Unlawful Camping and Abandoned Property

The public streets, public areas and parks within the city of Stanton should be readily accessible and available to residents and the public at large. The use of these areas for camping purposes or storage of personal property interferes with the rights of others to use the areas for which they were intended. The purpose of this chapter is to maintain public streets and areas within the city of Stanton in a clean and accessible condition.

(Ord. 990 § 2, 2011; Ord. 1067 § 3, 2017)

Unless the particular provisions or the context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning, and application of words and phrases used in this chapter:

"Camp"

means to pitch or occupy camp facilities; to live temporarily in a camp facility or outdoors; to use camp paraphernalia.

"Camp facilities"

include, but are not limited to, tents, huts, or other temporary shelters.

"Camp paraphernalia"

includes, but is not limited to, tarpaulins, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks, or non-city designated cooking facilities and similar equipment. Non-city designated cooking facilities means any cooking implement or cooking equipment that is not owned, controlled or permitted by the city, including, but not limited to, personal barbeques, hotplates and fire pits.

"Community services commission"

means the city of Stanton community services commission, pursuant to Chapter 2.32 of the Stanton Municipal Code.

"Community services director"

means the city of Stanton's community services director or designee, pursuant to Section 2.36.020 of the Stanton Municipal Code.

"Park"

means any owned, leased, operated or maintained land before or after the effective date of this chapter by the city of Stanton or Stanton redevelopment agency held as a harbor, beach, park or recreation area.

"Public area, improved or unimproved"

means and includes, but is not limited to, public place, including, but not limited to, public streets and alleyways; public parking lots, whether publicly owned or privately owned; public sidewalks; public parks; public playgrounds; public landscaped areas; and other publicly owned property. "Public area" shall not include any area designated as a public campground pursuant to federal, state or local statute, ordinance or resolution.

"Recreational vehicle"

means any travel trailer, boat, camper, motor home, van, travel and utility trailer or converted bus.

"Street"

means the same as defined in Section 590 of the California Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 990 § 2, 2011; Ord. 1067 § 3, 2017; Ord. 1111 § 7, 2021; Ord. 1159, 2/11/2025)

A. It is unlawful for any person to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in any public area, except as otherwise designated by the community services commission, and as permitted by the community services director.

B. It is unlawful for any person to sleep in the following public areas:

1. In any public park during the period from one-half hour after sunset to five a.m. of the following day;

2. On the grounds of city, redevelopment agency-owned or maintained, or housing authority-owned or maintained buildings, facilities or other improved city property, except as may be designated otherwise by the city council.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect, supersede or otherwise prevent private causes of action for trespass or other public civil, penal or administrative prosecution for trespass or maintaining a nuisance under state or local statute or ordinance.

(Ord. 990 § 2, 2011; Ord. 1067 § 3, 2017; Ord. 1159, 2/11/2025)

Any violation of or failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to be a misdemeanor, and punishable pursuant to Chapter 1.10 of the Stanton Municipal Code, notwithstanding the fact that at the discretion of the city attorney, the violation of any section of this chapter may be prosecuted as an infraction. Each day a violation of any provision of this chapter continues shall be a new and separate violation.

(Ord. 990 § 2, 2011; Ord. 1067 § 3, 2017)