(A) Any violation of this chapter shall be classified as a civil offense.
(B) Any person that violates any provision of this chapter shall be provided written notice of the violation that does not impose any civil fine or criminal liability. The written notice shall include the name(s) of the violator(s) and following information:
(1) The nature and purpose of the abatement or clean-up;
(2) The legal authority for the abatement or clean-up, citing this chapter;
(3) The specific location(s) where the abatement or clean-up will occur;
(4) The date and the time notice has been provided and the date and the time of the clean-up will occur;
(5) Notice that personal property items remaining at clean-up will be impounded;
(6) The phone number to use when owners want to claim their personal property items, and the date when they will be deemed abandoned and destroyed;
(7) The address where impounded vehicles can be located;
(8) A brief description of how to reclaim personal property items (e.g., a person will be required to present the notice of violation and the property inventory list);
(9) A list of local shelters where individuals, if homeless, can seek shelter;
(10) A phone number where individuals can call for more information.
(C) Personal property items, including camping paraphernalia, that are the subject of a notice of violation, and that are either deemed to create an emergency or that remain on public property three days after the date of the notice, can be removed by any enforcement officer. An inventory list of the personal property items collected should he prepared to include the name(s) of the owner(s), the date and the time of collection, the location of the collection, the phone number to call for claiming personal property and hours of operation, instructions on how to reclaim the property (e.g., present the notice of violation and/or the inventory list) and the date on which the property will be deemed abandoned and destroyed. A copy of the inventory document should be given to the owner of the personal property whenever possible. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if some personal property is reasonably deemed a threat to public safety (such as bodily excrement receptacles, drug paraphernalia, narcotics, alcohol, weapons or heavily soiled mattresses), those items are required to be included in the inventory, but need not be maintained and can be destroyed or, if evidence of criminal activity, seized by peace officers in accordance with the law.
(D) Unless stated otherwise in this chapter, the county must maintain personal property items collected at the camp in a safe and secure place for a minimum of 30 days. Animals found abandoned with other personal property will be transported to the County Animal Shelter in compliance with the county's animal control laws and ordinances, except the Director shall include a waiver of fees when the owner claims the animal in person at the shelter within seven days of impoundment. Abandoned vehicles shall he disposed of and the proceeds distributed in accordance with this code of ordinances and state law.
(E) At the time of issuing notice of a violation, in addition to the written notice requirements set forth above in division (B) of this section, notice shall be posted at the site of the camp, providing a telephone number to call for additional information. The notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the general vicinity, but not more than 30 feet from the location where the personal property is being stored. The notice must be laminated or otherwise made to be weather-resistant. Notice shall provide the earliest date on which personal property items may be removed and a phone number to call to reclaim personal property items. The posted notice shall include a visual symbol or symbols as well as text. After 30 days, absent circumstances necessitating a longer period, the county may dispose of any unclaimed personal property items and remove the notice regarding personal property.
(F) No enforcement officer or employee of the county may remove personal property items from a camp until the county, through any designated department, has provided information about local shelters where individuals, if homeless, can seek shelter.
(G) The county shall maintain records of notices issued pursuant to this chapter for a minimum period of five years and in a manner consistent with its records-retention policies.
(Ord. 1010.2, passed 9-28-21)