Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, October 06, 2020
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 20-2015 ADDING SECTION 5335 (FINES FOR VIOLATIONS RELATED TO LITTERING OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT) TO CHAPTER 3 (LITTER AND WEED CONTROL) OF ARTICLE V (SANITATION AND HEALTH) OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING INCREASED LITTERING FINES RELATED TO PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
On September 15, 2020, the City Council approved the recommendation to consider an increase of fees for violations related to littering of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
This item is was brought at the request of Councilmember Cedric Hicks after learning that the City of Los Angeles passed a motion to increase its fine to littering to $250.
There is a growing concern over masks and gloves worn as personal protective equipment to reduce the spread of COVID-19 being discarded in retail parking lots, parks, walking paths, and sidewalks. The September 15, 2020 staff report includes an assessment of local cities’ administrative violations to compare littering fines.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
INTRODUCE and READ by title only, with further reading waived, Ordinance No. 20-2015, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, ADDING SECTION 5335 (FINES FOR VIOLATIONS RELATED TO LITTERING OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT) TO CHAPTER 3 (LITTER AND WEED CONTROL) OF ARTICLE V (SANITATION AND HEALTH) OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING INCREASED LITTERING FINES RELATED TO PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT”.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action that the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the use of disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has increased exponentially. A noticeable and unwelcome side effect has been an increase in litter throughout the City.
The City discourages littering by having established fines for an initial offense and repeat offenses as well as code enforcement for all applicable environmental laws.
Section 1203.3 of the City’s Municipal Code (CMC) provides that a fine shall be assessed by means of an administrative citation issued by the Code Enforcement Officer as follows: (i) a fine not exceeding $100.00 for a first violation, (ii) a fine not exceeding $200.00 for a second violation within one (1) year from the date of the first violation, and (iii) a fine not exceeding $500.00 for each additional violation within one (1) year from the date of the first violation.
The City Council directed staff to return with an ordinance that provides for an increase in the fines associated with violations of the Littering Ordinance where PPE has been littered so that the fine amounts for such violations do not exceed (i) $250.00 for the first violation, (ii) $350.00 for a second violation within one (1) year from the date of the first violation, and (iii) $500.00 for each additional violation within one (1) year from the date of the first violation.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact will be based upon increased administrative citations issued for littering violations.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Proposed Ordinance No. 20-2015 (pgs 3-4)
Prepared by: David C. Roberts, Jr., Assistant City Manager