The streets, sidewalks and public areas within the city should be readily accessible and available to residents and the public at large. The use of these areas for camping purposes interferes with the rights of others to use the areas for which they are intended. Such activity also constitutes a public health and safety hazard which adversely impacts neighborhoods and commercial areas. Camping on private property without the consent of the owner and proper sanitary measures for other than a minimal duration adversely affects private property rights as well as the public health, safety, and welfare of the city. The purpose of this article is to maintain streets, highways, sidewalks, parks and other public and private areas within the city in a clean, sanitary and accessible condition and to adequately protect the health, safety and public welfare of the community, while recognizing that, subject to reasonable conditions, camping and camp facilities associated with special events can be beneficial to the cultural and educational climate in the city. Nothing in this article is intended to interfere with otherwise lawful and ordinary uses of public or private property.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)
Unless the particular provisions or the context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning, and application of words and phrases used in this article.
Camp
means to place, pitch or occupy camp facilities; to live temporarily in a camp facility or outdoors; to use camp paraphernalia.
Camp facilities
include, but are not limited to, tents, huts, vehicles, vehicle camping outfits or temporary shelter.
Camp paraphernalia
includes, but is not limited to, bedrolls, tarpaulins, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks or cooking facilities and similar equipment.
Establish
means setting up or moving equipment, supplies or materials on to public or private property to camp or operate camp facilities.
Maintain
means keeping or permitting equipment, supplies or materials to remain on public or private property in order to camp or operate camp facilities.
Operate
means participating or assisting in establishing or maintaining a camp or camp facility.
Park
means the same as defined in Section 27.01.010 of Chapter 27 of this Code.
Private property
means all private real property, including, but not limited to, improved or unimproved land.
Public property
means all public property, including, but not limited to, streets, highways, sidewalks, alleys, improved or unimproved land, open space areas, and parks.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)
It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in the following areas:
(a) 
Any public property; or
(b) 
Any private property.
(1) 
It is not intended by this section to prohibit overnight camping on private residential property by friends or family of the property owner, so long as the owner consents and the overnight camping is limited to not more than two consecutive nights.
(2) 
Nothing in this article is intended to prohibit or make unlawful, activities of an owner of private property or other lawful user of private property that are normally associated with and incidental to the lawful and authorized use of private property for residential or other purposes; and provided further, nothing is intended to prohibit or make unlawful, activities of a property owner or other lawful user if such activities are expressly authorized by this Code.
(3) 
The director of parks and community services may, as provided in Section 26.11.040 of this article, issue a temporary permit to allow camping on public or private property in connection with a special event.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)
The director of parks and community services may issue a permit to establish, maintain and operate a camp or a camp facility in connection with a special event. A special event is intended to include, but not be limited to, programs operated by the departments of the city, youth or school events, marathons or other sporting events, and scouting activities. The director of parks and community services may consult with various city departments prior to issuing any temporary permit. Each department or person consulted may provide comments regarding any health, safety or public welfare concerns and provide recommendations pertaining to the issuance, denial or conditioning of the permit. A reasonable fee, to be set by the city council, shall be paid, in advance, by the applicant. The fee shall be returned if the application is denied. In determining whether to grant or deny a temporary permit, the director of parks and community services may consider any facts or evidence bearing on the potential nuisance, sanitary, health, safety and welfare conditions on or surrounding the area or tract of land upon which the proposed temporary camp or camp facility is to be located.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)
It is unlawful for any person to establish, maintain, conduct or carry on any camp or camp facility unless there shall be at all times posted in a conspicuous place upon the area or tract of land upon which the camp or camp facility is located a permit obtained from director of parks and community services in accordance with the provisions of Section 26.11.040 of this article.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)
The director of parks and community services is further empowered to ascertain that the operation or maintenance of any camp or camp facilities to which a temporary permit shall apply will in no way jeopardize the public health, safety or welfare and for this purpose may make additional rules and regulations pertaining to their establishment, operation or conduct. The director of parks and community services may also impose conditions on the establishment, maintenance and operation of the camp or camp facility, including, but not limited to, security, sanitation facilities, the number of occupants, posting of bonds or deposits, insurance, quiet hours, duration of the permit, and permitted activities. When the director of parks and community services shall issue any permit under the terms of this article, the same may be revoked at any time thereafter by the director of parks and community services, the police chief, or any code enforcement officer if they determine the maintenance or continuing operation of the camp or camp facilities is a nuisance or adverse to the public health, safety and welfare.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)
(a) 
Any person violating or permitting violation of any provision of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine, or by imprisonment in the County Jail, or by both such fine and imprisonment, not to exceed the maximum fine and/or imprisonment established in California Government Code Section 36901, or successor legislation.
(b) 
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article may also be subject to a civil action and/or administrative penalties pursuant to Davis Municipal Code Chapter 1, Article 1.02.
(c) 
As an additional remedy, the violation of any provision of this article shall be deemed and is declared to be a public nuisance and may be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(Ord. 2670, 12/3/2024)