Whenever used in this Chapter, the word "litter" shall include, but not be limited to: garbage; waste matter of all kinds; abandoned vehicles; motor vehicles which are, or have been for over thirty days, inoperable; junk, inoperable household appliances; disused plumbing fixtures; lumber and building materials except during construction operations; and all other waste material which, if thrown or deposited as herein prohibited, tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare. Newspapers placed on private property shall not be deemed to be litter provided they are deposited in such a manner as to prevent their being carried away by the elements and are removed within a reasonable time thereafter.
(Prior code § 7800; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67)
(a) 
No person shall throw or deposit litter in or upon any street, alley, parkway, sidewalk or other public place within the City except in public receptacles or in authorized private receptacles for collection.
(b) 
Any person violating this Section shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars, or a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(Prior code § 7800A; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67; amended by Ord. No. 1813CCS § 6, adopted 9/12/95)
(a) 
It is unlawful for any owner, manager, operator, or employee of a business to deposit litter from that business in a public receptacle without first obtaining a permit from the Department of Public Works.
(b) 
The Director of Public Works or designee may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this Section. No person shall fail to comply with any such regulation.
(c) 
Any person violating this Section shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars per violation, or a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. This Section and any regulations promulgated under this Section shall also be enforceable through the issuance of administrative citations in accordance with Chapter 1.09 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code. Pursuant to Section 1.09.040 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code, the amount of the fine for a violation of this Section, or any regulation promulgated under this Section, shall be as follows, subject to modification by the City Council by resolution: two hundred fifty dollars for a first violation; five hundred dollars for a second violation committed within one year of the first violation; and one thousand dollars for a third or subsequent violation committed within one year of the first violation. Each day or portion of a day that any person violates or continues to violate any provision of this Section, or any regulations promulgated under this Section, constitutes a separate violation and may be charged and punished separately.
(Added by Ord. No. 2681CCS § 2, adopted 8/24/21)
No person shall sweep litter from any building or lot, or any public or private sidewalk, parkway or driveway into any gutter, sidewalk, parkway, alley, street, or other public place within the City.
(Prior code § 7800C; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67)
No person shall throw or deposit litter on any occupied private property within the City, whether owned by such a person or not, except that the owner or person in control of private property may maintain authorized private receptacles for collection in such a manner that litter will be prevented from being carried away by the elements.
(Prior code § 7800E; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67)
The owner or person in control of any private property shall at all times maintain the premises free of litter. Provided, however, that this Section shall not prohibit the storage of litter in authorized private receptacles for collection.
(Prior code § 7800F; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67)
No person shall throw or deposit litter on any open or vacant private property within the City whether owned by such person or not.
(Prior code § 7800G; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67)
(a) 
Notice to Remove Litter. The Director of Public Works is hereby authorized and empowered to notify the owner of any private property within the City, or the agent of such owner, to properly dispose of litter then on such owner's property, or on the sidewalk, parkway, gutter or alley in front of or adjacent to the side or rear of such owner's property, in violation of the provisions of this Code. Such notice shall be by registered mail addressed to said owner or agent at his last known address. A copy of said notice shall also be posted on the property.
(b) 
Period During Which Owner or Agent Shall Dispose of the Litter. The owner or agent of such owner shall be given ten days within which to dispose of the litter described in the notice. The day of posting the notice shall be excluded in computing such period and no litter shall be removed by the Director of Public Works until such period has expired.
(c) 
Form of Notice. The notice shall describe the work to be done and shall state that if the work is not commenced within ten days after notice is given and diligently prosecuted to completion without interruption, the Director of Public Works shall dispose of the litter and the cost thereof shall be a lien on the property. The notice shall be substantially in the following form:
"NOTICE TO REMOVE LITTER
The owner of the property described as follows:
commonly known as
is hereby ordered to properly dispose of the litter located on said property, to wit within 10 days from the date hereof. If the disposal of the litter herein indicated is not commenced and diligently prosecuted to completion within the time fixed herein, the Director of Public Works of the City of Santa Monica shall cause such disposal to be done, and the cost thereof, including any incidental expenses, will be made a lien upon said property.
Estimated Cost of Disposal $
Dated
Director of Public Works of the City of Santa Monica."
(d) 
Director of Public Works to Keep Record. The Director of Public Works shall cause to be kept in his office a permanent record containing: (1) a description of each parcel of property for which notice to dispose of litter has been given; (2) the name of the owner, if known; (3) the date on which such notice was mailed and posted; (4) the charges incurred by the City in disposing of the litter, and all incidental expenses in connection therewith; and (5) a brief summary of the work performed. Each such entry shall be made as soon as practicable after completion of such act.
(e) 
Action Upon Non-Compliance. Upon the failure, neglect or refusal of any owner or agent so notified, to properly dispose of the litter within ten days after notice has been given as hereinbefore provided, or within twenty days after the date of mailing such notice in the event the Post Office Department is unable to make delivery thereof, provided the same was properly addressed to the last known address of such owner or agent, the Director of Public Works is hereby authorized and empowered to pay for the disposal of such litter out of City funds or to order its disposal by City forces. Neither the City, members of the Council, Director of Public Works nor any officers, employees or agents of the City shall be personally liable for any bodily injuries or property damage arising under any contract made or work performed pursuant to the provisions of this Section. The Director of Public Works and his authorized representatives, including any contractor with whom he contracts hereunder, and assistants, employees, or agents of such contractor, are hereby authorized to enter upon said property for the purpose of disposing of the litter described in the notice. Before the Director of Public Works or contractor arrives, any property owner may dispose of the litter at his own expense.
(f) 
Charge to Owner. When the City has effected the removal of such litter or has paid for its removal, the actual cost thereof, plus accrued interest at the rate of seven percent per annum from the date of the completion of the work, if not paid prior thereto, shall be charged to the owner of such property and the owner, or his agent, shall be billed therefor by mail. The bill shall apprise the owner that failure to pay the bill will result in a lien.
(g) 
Recorded Statement Constitutes Lien. Where the full amount due the City is not paid by such owner within thirty days after disposal of the litter, then, and in that case, the Director of Public Works shall cause to be recorded with the City Treasurer a sworn statement showing the cost and expense incurred for the work, the date the work was done and the location of the property on which said litter disposal work was done. The recordation of such sworn statement shall constitute a lien on the property, and shall remain in full force and effect for the amount due in principal and interest, plus costs of court, if any, for collection, until final payment has been made. Said costs and expenses shall be subject to a delinquent penalty of ten percent in the event same is not paid in full on or before the date the amount becomes a lien. Sworn statements recorded in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be prima facie evidence that all legal formalities have been complied with and that the work has been done properly and satisfactorily, and shall be full notice to every person concerned that the amount of the statement, plus interest and costs, constitutes a charge against the property designated or described in the statement and that the same is due and collectible as provided by law. The City Treasurer may record said lien with the County Recorder.
(Prior code § 7800H; added by Ord. No. 736CCS, adopted 4/25/67; amended by Ord. No. 819CCS, adopted 9/23/69; Ord. No. 1880CCS § 10, adopted 6/24/97)
(a) 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter with reference to the removal of litter form private property, whenever the City Manager determines that an accumulation of litter is dangerous to human life and such condition constitutes an immediate hazard or danger, and the owner of the private property is unable to be located, he shall immediately and forthwith effect the removal of such litter without observing the usual provisions for the removal of litter set forth in Section 7.48.010 herein.
(b) 
Where such condition exists, and the removal is immediately required, the City Manager shall comply with the provisions of Section 7.48.090(d), which refers to the charging costs of such removal work to the property owner.
(c) 
The Director of General Services may enter upon private property to examine such dangerous accumulation of litter and to remove or cause its removal.
(d) 
Within a reasonable time after the removal of such dangerous accumulation of litter, a public hearing be held before the Director of General Services. The owner of record of the affected land shall be notified of the hearing.
(e) 
The owner of the affected land may show cause why he should not be assessed for the costs of removing the litter by appearing at the hearing or by filing a written statement with the Director of General Services no less than five days before the hearing date. If it is determined that the litter was placed on the land without the consent of the land owner and that he has not subsequently acquiesced to its presence, then the City shall not assess costs of administration or removal against the property upon which the litter was located or otherwise attempt to collect such costs from such owner.
(Prior code § 7800I; added by Ord. No. 1115CCS, adopted 2/13/79)
No person who owns a lot, or any interest therein or who is in possession of such a lot, whether by lease, agreement or otherwise, which is temporarily being used as a storage yard for equipment or materials or for any other purpose, other than the parking of automobiles, in connection with an adjacent construction project involving more than ten units each, shall permit such use unless said lot is enclosed on all sides with a substantially constructed fence six feet in height.
The fence on the front and both sides shall be of solid construction, neat in appearance and sufficiently sturdy to provide protection for the duration of the construction project. The fence along the alley side may be chain link.
If the construction project immediately adjoins the lot being used as above, the fence along their common boundary line will not be required.
(Prior code § 7801; added by Ord. No. 836CCS, adopted 8/11/70)
(a) 
No person shall distribute, throw, place, or attach commercial material of any kind whatsoever including, but not limited to, any handbill, advertising circular, folder, booklet, letter, card, pamphlet, sheet, poster, sticker, banner, or notice, in, to, or upon any unattended motor vehicle within the City of Santa Monica.
(b) 
A violation of this Section shall be an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars. The penalty provided for in this Section is in addition to any other remedy authorized by law.
(c) 
Any aggrieved person, including the City Attorney, may enforce the provisions of this Chapter by means of a civil action and may seek equitable relief, including, but not limited to, costs of any clean up, from the offending party.
(Prior code § 7810; added by Ord. No. 1445CCS, adopted 6/14/88)
(a) 
As used in this Section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) 
"Liquid waste" means any liquid commercial or industrial waste (such as fuels, solvents, cooking oil or fat, grease, paint, detergents, fertilizers, or pesticides); petroleum hydrocarbons (such as fuels, lubricants, surfactants, waste oils, solvents, coolants, or grease); liquid contaminated with residue from raw or semi-cooked fish, meat, or chicken (including liquid resulting from the melting of ice used to store raw or semi-cooked fish, meat, or chicken); and liquid prescription or non-prescription medicines.
(2) 
"Solid waste" means any solid product other than ice being disposed of as waste, including, but not limited to, food, paper, cardboard, metal, glass, or plastic.
(b) 
It is unlawful for any person to dispose of any solid or liquid waste in any storm drain.
(c) 
It is unlawful for any person to dispose of any liquid waste in or on any street, sidewalk, bike path, public parking lot, public park, the beach, the Santa Monica Pier, or any public receptacle.
(d) 
The Director of Public Works or designee may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this Section. No person shall fail to comply with any such regulation.
(e) 
Any person violating this Section, or any regulation promulgated under this Section, shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars per violation, or a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. This Section and any regulations promulgated under this Section shall also be enforceable through the issuance of administrative citations in accordance with Chapter 1.09 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code. Pursuant to Section 1.09.040 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code, the amount of the fine for a violation of this Section, or any regulation promulgated under this Section, shall be as follows, subject to modification by the City Council by resolution: two hundred fifty dollars for a first violation; five hundred dollars for a second violation committed within one year of the first violation; and one thousand dollars for a third or subsequent violation committed within one year of the first violation. Each day or portion of a day that any person violates or continues to violate any provision of this Section, or any regulations promulgated under this Section, constitutes a separate violation and may be charged and punished separately.
(Added by Ord. No. 2681CCS § 3, adopted 8/24/21)