Watsonville Municipal Code Ch. 36 Camping

It shall be unlawful for any person to camp anywhere in the City, whether on public or private property, except as expressly permitted in this chapter. For the purposes of this chapter, “to camp” shall mean to do any of the following:

(a) To construct, place, or maintain on any semi-permanent structure, including but not limited to hand-built sheds and structures with metal or other heavy roofing and siding materials, for the purpose of sheltering one (1) or more persons.

(b) To use, place or maintain a tent, sleeping bag, blanket, or other materials for the purpose of sleeping, lying, or sheltering one (1) or more persons. Camping shall be deemed to occur regardless of whether a full night is actually spent occupying any specific location.

(c) To engage in any digging or earth breaking activities for the purpose of creating or improving a shelter.

(d) To store or leave unattended personal property on public property, including but not limited to clothing, sleeping bags, bedrolls, blankets, sheets, luggage, backpacks, tents, kitchen utensils, and cookware.

(e) To make or use any fire, for purpose of heating or cooking, or using any flame, grill, portable stove, or similar flame-producing device for cooking of meals on public property, except for in City parks with designated barbeque and cooking areas while using City-provided cooking facilities designed for such purposes.

(f) To sleep or repose at any time in, on, or under any parked vehicle, including an automobile, bus, truck, camper, trailer, or recreational vehicle.

(§ 1, Ord. 722-87 C-M, eff. February 12, 1987, as amended by § 2 (Exh. A), Ord. 1491-26, eff. August 6, 2026)

In addition to penalties imposed by Sections 5-36.04 and 5-36.05, violations of this chapter shall be enforced in accordance with this section.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Enforcement officer” means any City employee designated by the City Manager or their designee.

(2) “Exigent circumstances” means circumstances involving an imminent threat to life, safety, health, or infrastructure.

(3) “Personal property” means:

(i) Nonperishable items with an apparent value of Fifty and no/100s ($50) Dollars or more; and

(ii) Nonperishable items with apparent personal value, including, but not limited to: eyeglasses, operational wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, other medical equipment, habitable tents, personal papers (such as photographs, albums, forms of identification, bank statements, and legal papers), backpacks, containers, and operational bicycles, scooters, and strollers.

(b) Pre-Enforcement Notice.

(1) Except in exigent circumstances or within zones established pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the enforcement officer shall provide at least seventy-two (72) hours of pre-enforcement notice by either serving the notice to any readily apparent owner, or posting written notices on or near any personal property left unattended on public property. Where exigent circumstances require less than seventy-two (72) hours pre-enforcement notice, the enforcement officer shall provide as much advance notice of enforcement as reasonably possible under the circumstances.

Where there is no readily apparent owner, the pre-enforcement notice shall be conspicuously posted in at least two (2) locations on or around the personal property, such as on the property itself or on nearby telephone poles. The enforcement officer shall return at the time and date specified in the pre-enforcement notice to collect and impound any remaining unattended personal property pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(2) The pre-enforcement notice shall feature large print and state the following:

(i) The anticipated time and date of the enforcement action;

(ii) Information on local housing and shelter resources;

(iii) An advisement that impounded personal property will be discarded after sixty (60) days if not claimed; and

(iv) An advisement that there are no fees imposed for storage or retrieval of personal property and that the property owner assumes the risk of any loss or damage to the impounded property.

(c) Impoundment of Personal Property.

(1) The enforcement officer shall provide any readily apparent owner of personal property thirty (30) minutes to remove their personal property from public property. After thirty (30) minutes, any personal property remaining on public property shall be collected, tagged, and stored for sixty (60) days following an enforcement action.

(2) The Public Works Director shall establish written policies and procedures for the collection and impoundment of personal property pursuant to this section.

(d) Post-Enforcement Notice. After impounding personal property pursuant to this section, the enforcement officer shall immediately provide a post-enforcement notice to the readily apparent owner, or conspicuously post a post-enforcement notice at the location where impounded personal property was located. Where exigent circumstances prevent the enforcement officer from immediately leaving a post-enforcement notice, the enforcement officer shall provide a post-enforcement notice in accordance with this section as soon as possible once the exigent circumstances have subsided.

The post-enforcement notice shall feature large, conspicuous print and state the following:

(1) The location of where the personal property was located;

(2) The date and time notice was served or posted;

(3) An advisement that the City has impounded the personal property, and that the personal property will be discarded after sixty (60) days if not claimed;

(4) The impoundment facility’s name, address, phone number, and operating hours;

(5) An advisement that there are no fees imposed for storage or retrieval of personal property and that the property owner assumes the risk of any loss or damage to the impounded property;

(6) Information on local housing and shelter resources.

(e) Designation of “No Encampment Zones.” The City may designate “No Encampment Zones” around (1) sensitive or critical infrastructure or discrete areas or landmarks of historical, cultural, or ecological significance in order to protect such infrastructure, areas, or landmarks; or (2) homeless shelters or low barrier navigation centers in order to preserve the physical accessibility, sanitation, safety, and orderly operations of such facilities. All individuals within “No Encampment Zones” will be considered to have received pre-enforcement notice and post-enforcement notice pursuant to this section and may be subject to an immediate enforcement action pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

Either within and/or around the entrance(s) to such zones, the City shall post conspicuous signs that describe or illustrate the bounds of the zone. Such signs shall contain the following:

(1) An advisement that camping within the zone is subject to immediate enforcement;

(2) An advisement that impounded personal property will be discarded if not claimed within sixty (60) days;

(3) The impoundment facility’s name, address, phone number, and operating hours;

(4) The information a claimant must provide in order to reclaim personal property from the impoundment facility;

(5) An advisement that there are no fees imposed for storage or retrieval of personal property and that the property owner bears the risk of any loss or damage to the impounded property;

(6) Information on services, including shelter, that are immediately available.

(§ 1, Ord. 722-87 C-M, eff. February 12, 1987, as amended by § 2 (Exh. A), Ord. 1491-26, eff. August 6, 2026)

This chapter shall not apply in the following circumstances:

(a) Camping in public areas specifically set aside and clearly marked for camping purposes;

(b) Camping events sponsored and conducted by and under the direction and control of the Parks and Community Services Department;

(c) Camping on private property when activity is undertaken by the property owner, tenant in possession, lineal relative to the property owner or tenant in possession, or an individual who holds in immediate possession a written consent issued by the property owner or tenant in possession. Such person shall present the written consent for examination upon the demand of any peace officer enforcing the provisions of this chapter. No camping on private property shall exceed fourteen (14) consecutive days or be permitted more than once within any ninety (90) day period of time.

(d) When the Council, by resolution, authorizes overnight camping on City-owned property as a special event sponsored by a nonprofit community service organization. Any organization seeking such authority from the Council shall file a written request with the Parks and Community Services Director or designee, setting forth detailed information concerning the proposed event.

The Parks and Community Services Director or designee may require certain additional information in writing as deemed necessary or appropriate for the evaluation of the request. When complete information has been submitted, the Parks and Community Services Director shall confer with the City Manager, and they shall jointly prepare and submit to the Council a report with their recommendations for approval, conditional approval, or denial of the request.

(§ 1, Ord. 722-87 C-M, eff. February 12, 1987, as amended by § 2 (Exh. A), Ord. 1491-26, eff. August 6, 2026)

Any person violating any section of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1-2.

(§ 1, Ord. 722-87 C-M, eff. February 12, 1987, as amended by § 2 (Exh. A), Ord. 1491-26, eff. August 6, 2026)

Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 1-2, any person violating any section of this chapter, and who is cited for such violation, and who, within forty-eight (48) hours after receiving such citation, again violates the same section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.

(§ 1, Ord. 722-87 C-M, eff. February 12, 1987, as amended by § 2 (Exh. A), Ord. 1491-26, eff. August 6, 2026)