A. It shall be unlawful for any person to camp, occupy camp facilities or use camp paraphernalia, in the following areas, except as otherwise provided:
1. Any park;
2. Any street;
3. Any public parking lot or public area, improved or unimproved.
B. Personal use of private residential property for camping may only be by the property owner or by others with the owner's written consent and without any form of compensation.
1. Such use shall not exceed seven consecutive days in duration, except during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when such use shall not exceed fourteen (14) consecutive days in duration.
2. Camping may not occur more than four (4) times per calendar year.
3. A minimum of fourteen (14) days is required between each camping period.
C. The prohibition set forth in this section does not apply to:
1. Camping on public or private property pursuant to a permit issued by the city; and
2. Day use for lawful activities on public property pursuant to a permit issued by the city.
D. In addition to any other applicable requirements of the Temple City Municipal Code, camping pursuant to this section shall comply with all of the following operational requirements pertaining to camping:
1. Portable restrooms with toilet facilities must be provided and accessible to campers on the private property and must comply with the California Plumbing Code. Restrooms at city-owned parks do not qualify for use by campers on private property.
2. Trash receptacles sufficient for the number of campers must be provided.
3. The private property where camping occurs must be kept in a clean and sanitary manner.
4. Trash and debris must be removed when camping ceases and must be disposed of in trash receptacles.
5. Any outdoor storage of camping paraphernalia shall not be permitted when not in use by campers.
6. Within the jurisdiction of the city, no permanent structures shall be permitted in the floodplain, including, but not limited to, fencing.
7. Any use or placement of electrical cords shall be above the floodplain and/or not exposed, if applicable, and no dangerous condition should be present.
8. All parking shall be on paved surfaces only.
E. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, camping shall not be permitted where such use violates any provision of this Code or state law.
F. Enforcement. Law enforcement officers shall not enforce this camping section when the individual is on public property and there is no available overnight shelter.
1. The term "available overnight shelter" is a public or private shelter, with an available overnight space, for an individual experiencing homelessness, at no charge.
2. City staff or their designee shall initiate contact with the shelters to determine whether the shelters have available space and, if so, the number of available sleeping spaces. Prior to issuing any citation, city staff or their designee shall also confirm that a shelter has available space that can be utilized by that particular individual. No city staff or law enforcement officer shall issue a citation to a homeless person sleeping, lying, sitting, or camping outdoors unless the city staff or law enforcement officer first confirms the shelter has available space that can be utilized by the individual.
G. Penalty. It is unlawful for any person to violate any provision or to fail to comply with any of the requirements of this section. A violation of any of the provisions of failing to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor; except that notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any such violation constituting a misdemeanor under this section may, at the discretion of the City Attorney or the citing officer on the scene, be charged and prosecuted as an infraction.
(Ord. 95-778; amd. Ord. 24-1075)