Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 9 Overnight Camping

(a) No person shall camp or lodge in any designated site or location within the limits of a County Park without first registering for the camping space by completing the appropriate registration card and paying the appropriate use fees.

(b) No person shall camp or otherwise park overnight in any space not designated for such use by the Director or an authorized representative. Camping is not permitted in a day use area without written permission from the Director.

(c) No person shall fail to clean and completely remove all camping equipment and other personal property from the site before departure.

(d) No person shall be allowed to camp or otherwise park overnight in a County facility when the camper's vehicle and/or trailer is not legally registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles or other state vehicle licensing entity.

(e) No person shall fail to comply with the requests of a public officer to place trailers or other camping equipment in an orderly manner.

(f) Campers shall keep their assigned camping space free of litter.

(g) Automobiles of day use patrons shall be parked in areas posted for day-use parking.

(h) Only those park patrons that have a valid camping permit are permitted to use the shower or laundry facilities.

(i) No person shall modify any campsite in any matter. Only portable ground cover may be placed in a campsite (e.g., grass rug or carpet).

(j) Only the person renting a camping space may park a recreational vehicle in the space. A third party who is not camping may not register a space for another person's use and may not transport and park a recreational vehicle in a space for another person's use. Violation can result in loss of fees, imposition of fines and/or banishment from use of the County Park system.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

No person or persons shall camp on the grounds of a County Park without having paid the established fee. All fees must be paid in advance. The applicant for camping permit shall furnish to the public officer such information as the Director may prescribe on the camping permit registration card.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

No person or persons under the age of eighteen (18) years shall be issued an overnight camping permit or be allowed to remain overnight unless accompanied by a parent or guardian, or an adult with proof of prior permission from a parent or guardian.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

No person may trespass upon a camping space assigned to another or use facilities other than those designated for the specific use of the permittee or for the general use of campers.

(a) Recreational vehicles must back into sites and be able to leave with the flow of traffic.

(b) A camping space may contain no more than three (3) items: For example, one (1) recreational vehicle, one (1) non-recreational vehicle, and one (1) tent. Any vehicle or tent beyond this limit will be charged pursuant to the Rent and Fee Schedule. All vehicles and equipment must fit within the site and must not encroach into the road or into another campsite.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

No person shall erect, construct or place within any County Park a structure without written permission to do so from the Director.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

(a) Personal property or equipment interfering with the safe or orderly management of any County Park or part thereof, may be removed and/or stored by an authorized representative at the owner's expense.

(b) Any vehicle left abandoned in any of the County facilities may be removed and stored by an authorized representative of the County at the owner's expense.

(c) Any personal property left in a County Park will be held for ninety (90) calendar days before it is disposed of pursuant to Civil Code section 2080.6, Government Code section 25500 et seq., Administrative Policy Manual Chapter VII (b)-8, and the Purchasing Agent's Surplus Property Policy & Procedures Manual.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

(a) No person shall drain or dump refuse or waste, including, but not limited to, sewage, black water, or grey water from any trailer, recreational vehicle or other vehicle except in places designated for such or into a closed receptacle for such use. The use of an open bucket or container placed outside the vehicle or trailer for the purpose of retaining sewage, black water, or gray water is prohibited.

(b) No person shall connect a water hose from a ground faucet to a recreational vehicle unit-holding tank or fill the tank while in a County facility, with the exception of full hookup and partial hookup campsites as described in Section II.C. of the Rent and Fee Schedule.

(c) Users of the County Park system shall keep their assigned area free of litter. Equipment, supplies, and all other belongings must be kept neat and orderly at all times and must be completely removed from the area before departure. Firewood or water bottles must be kept out of sight either under or in the user's unit. Dishes and utensils must be stored out of sight when not in use.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

(a) County-Operated. Continuous camping in any County Park is limited to fourteen (14) consecutive days in the park. By the end (11:00 a.m.) of the 14 th day or after any length of stay, the camper must completely vacate the park (including the camper, any vehicle, and all camping equipment) and cannot re-occupy any County Park or Rincon Parkway except as expressly authorized by the Director as stated in the Rent and Fee Schedule. The Director or the Director's authorized representative shall designate the space(s) in which occupancy may be permitted. The Director may designate any such park for extended lengths of stay, not to exceed thirty (30) consecutive days, during "off-season." The Director may authorize on a case-by-case basis an extension to these lengths of stay for persons directly affected by an emergency duly declared by the County. This section shall not apply to Park Hosts occupying sites under license agreements signed by the Director.

(b) Non-County-Managed. Continuous camping in any Non-County-Managed regional park is limited to one-hundred eighty (180) consecutive days. The County Parks system must be vacated completely (both campers and camping equipment) for a minimum of four (4) days after any length of stay before reoccupation is permitted. Maximum length of stay is one-hundred eighty (180) calendar days in a Non-County-Managed regional park per twelve (12) month period.

(c) The combination of camping in County-operated or Non-County-Managed regional parks is a maximum of one-hundred eighty (180) calendar days per twelve (12) month period. However, the maximum number of days may not exceed one hundred twenty (120) calendar days pursuant to subdivision (a) above in County-operated regional parks.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)

For purposes of providing security, public relations, and minor maintenance functions at County Park facilities, the Director may enter into license agreements with certain individuals as Park Hosts. This activity is considered a specialized camping use and is not restricted by the overnight camping limit provided by Section 6309-7. Park Host camping shall be governed by a license agreement between the County and the designated Park Host consistent with the Park Host Program Policies and Procedures established by the General Services Agency.

(Ord. No. 4600, § 1, 5-10-2022)