§ 6-5.01. Transient campsites.

(a)

No person shall establish or occupy a camp in any public park, public street, or public place within the City except in areas specifically designated for such use, or specifically authorized by a permit issued by the appropriate public agency having jurisdiction over the property. No person shall establish or occupy a camp on private property located within 2,000 feet of other improved land or an improved road, except for camping in the yard of a residence with the written permission of the owner or occupant, or camping on vacant property with the written permission of the owner when such camping is part of an organized community youth group recreational activity in accordance with Section 9-1.310 of this code. Camps on private property shall be subject to the following requirements:

(1)

Camping in the yard of a residence shall be in the rear yard or in a side yard area that is separated from view of the street by a fence or hedge or other obstruction.

(2)

Otherwise permissible camping under this subsection is unlawful where it is conducted in such a manner so as to create a nuisance because of noise, cause or contribute to inadequate sanitation, or otherwise disturb persons of normal sensitivity residing in the area.

(3)

It is the intent of this section that camping in yards of residences shall only be infrequent and occasional and therefore such camping shall not be permitted for an excess of three consecutive days or be of such frequency or intensity so as to constitute a regular use of land as a camp.

(4)

Sanitary toilet facilities shall be available within 100 feet of any campsite.

(5)

Camping on private property shall not be permitted under this subsection where any fee, charge, or other monetary consideration is collected for the privilege of camping or for any services for the use of any facilities related thereto.

(b)

Any person having such written permit/permission shall carry it upon his or her person while on the private property covered by the writing. In any prosecution for the violation of this provision, the burden of proving such written permit/permission exists shall rest upon the persons occupying the camp.

(c)

In the absence of such written permit/ permission or upon failure to produce such written permit/permission upon request of a code enforcement officer or peace officer, such camp shall be declared unlawful and shall be vacated when so ordered by a code enforcement officer or any peace officer. It shall be the expressed intention of the provisions in this section that no unlawful camp shall be permitted to exist on any public or private property as defined below.

(d)

This section shall not apply to any person who, with the permission of the property owner, is temporarily residing at a construction site or on property where site preparation such as grading is taking place, for the purpose of providing security for equipment being used in the construction or site preparation activities.

(e)

Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)

"Camp" shall mean the use of either a public park, a private or public street, or a vacant field, place, or vehicle, none of which are intended for living accommodation purposes, as a temporary or permanent residence. Camping activities may be evidenced by the erecting of tents or any structure providing shelter (including but not limited to trees, paper, metal, wood, shrubs or bushes), making preparations to sleep, storing personal belongings, starting or maintaining a fire, or regularly cooking or preparing meals.

(2)

"Making preparations to sleep" shall include, but is not limited to, laying down bedding for the purposes of sleeping.

(3)

"Personal belongings" shall include, but are not limited to, clothing, foodstuff/beverages, sleeping bags, bedrolls, luggage, backpacks, kitchen utensils, cook ware, and similar materials.

(4)

"Public park" includes all County and Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District parks and playgrounds.

(5)

"Public street" includes all public streets and highways, public sidewalks, public benches, public parking lots and the adjacent publicly owned property.

(6)

"Public place" shall include, but is not limited to, public plazas, transportation facilities, schools, attractions, monuments, transportation corridors and any improved or unimproved public property, whether open to the general public or not.

(7)

"Private property" as used in this section, refers to privately owned land which is adjacent to any improved road or other improved land, and is zoned for residential, open space, commercial, or industrial purposes.

(8)

"Residence" as used in this section only includes a residentially zoned parcel of real property with a permitted residential dwelling thereon.

(9)

"Sanitary toilet facilities," as used in this section shall mean either a toilet supplied with running water to carry the sewage from the toilet through drainage piping to a public sewer or, if a public sewer is not available or if it is impracticable to connect with it, a toilet supplied with running water to carry the sewage through drainage piping to a septic tank which complies with the Uniform Plumbing Code.

(f)

Penalties. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(§ 4211, S.V.M.C., as amended by § 1, Ord. 936, eff. November 5, 1998)