The Board of Supervisors finds that unauthorized camping may result in trespassing, unattended fires, public disturbances or other public health and safety problems. The intent of this chapter is to establish a procedure by which the Board of Supervisors may designate specified zones within the unincorporated portions of Santa Cruz County as no camping zones.
(prior code § 8.56.01; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)
"To camp," and "camping"
mean to establish or maintain at any time a temporary or permanent place for cooking and/or sleeping:
(A) 
Outdoors, with or without the use of shelter;
(B) 
In, on or under any structure not intended for human occupancy;
(C) 
In, on or under any parked vehicle, including an automobile, bus, truck, camper, trailer or recreational vehicle; or
(D) 
In, on or under any abandoned or unoccupied structure.
(prior code § 8.56.10; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)
The Board of Supervisors may designate zones within the unincorporated portions of Santa Cruz County as "no camping zones." Before such designation the Board shall hold a noticed public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be given at least 10 days in advance by posting in at least five public locations within the proposed "no camping zone" and by a single display advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation within the proposed "no camping zone." The proposed zone shall be identified by a description sufficient to enable enforcement. If the Board designates a "no camping zone," it may also direct that the designated zone be posted or otherwise identified as a "no camping zone." The Board may remove a "no camping zone" designation in the same manner once it is established.
(prior code § 8.56.60; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)
The following zones are designated as no camping zones:
(A) 
S.H. Cowell Foundation/Ocean Street Extension Area:
Santa Cruz city limits to the south, Henry Cowell State Park to the north, the San Lorenzo River to the west, and Graham Hill Road to the east.
(B) 
Paradise Park Area (APN 061-321-11):
Beginning at a redwood tree sixty inches in diameter on the southerly boundary of the property formerly owned by the California Powder Works and standing on the westerly side of the San Lorenzo River and on the easterly side of the highway leading from Santa Cruz to Felton, and commonly designated as the Big Tree Road, a centerline through said last mentioned tree paralleling the concrete pavement of said highway and distant 7.50 feet from the edge thereof from the southerly end of said line as the point of beginning, south 70° 00' west 17.50 feet to the center of said last mentioned highway; thence northwesterly along the center of said highway 7002.56 feet to the intersection of the highway with the boundary line of the property formerly owned by the California Powder Works; thence north 38° 12' west 1063.96 feet to a station on the westerly side of the Big Tree Road; thence north 1° 45' west 178.86 feet to a station on the westerly side of said last mentioned highway; thence north 63° 28' east 2212.98 feet to a station on the southerly side of a forty-inch pine; thence south 54° 00' east 1023.00 feet to a station on the southerly side of a sixty-inch redwood tree; thence south 22° 30' east 490.38 feet to a station on the easterly side of a forty-inch redwood tree; thence south 6° 00' east 353.10 feet to the corner of a fence; thence south 42° 02' west 622.86 feet to a station in the center of the San Lorenzo River; thence down the center of said river south 55° 38' east 73.75 feet to a station; thence south 36° 00' east 109.10 feet to a station; thence south 11° 49' east 198.30 feet to a station; thence south 24° 46 1/2' west 166.20 feet to a station; thence south 49° 35' west 171.00 feet to a station; thence south 48° 55' west 136.50 feet to a station; thence south 42° 34 1/2' west 223.20 feet to a station; thence south 33° 00' east 264.00 feet to a station; thence south 48° 53' east 798.61 feet to a station; thence south 62° 24 1/2' east 349.91 feet to a station on the east bank of the San Lorenzo River; thence south 56° 22' east 513.48 feet to a station; thence south 13° 15' east 825.00 feet to a station; thence south 4° 00' west 363.00 feet to a station; thence south 22° 45' west 284.46 feet to a station in the river; thence south 6° 20' west 117.48 feet to a two-inch iron pipe on the east side of the San Lorenzo River; thence west 141.90 feet to the place of beginning.
Beginning at a point on the easterly side of the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way, from which the corner of the lands formerly owned by the California Powder Works are located and evidenced by a seventy-two-inch redwood tree marked "14 Cor," bears south 38° 12' east 265.70 feet distant; thence following the easterly side of said Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way to a point where the produced line from the aforesaid line intersects the easterly side of the said last mentioned right-of-way where the curve of it carries it across the said produced line; thence on a straight line to the point of beginning.
Beginning at a point of intersection of the Powder Mill Road with a line constituting the boundary of property formerly owned by the California Powder Works, the said last mentioned line forming a portion of the southeasterly side of said property, running from a fence south 42° 02' west 489.85 feet to the center of said road, as the point of beginning; thence south 42° 02' west 133.01 feet to a station in the center of the San Lorenzo River; thence down the center of said river 55° 38' east 73.75 feet to a station; thence south 36° 00' east 109.10 feet to a station; thence south 11° 49' east 198.30 feet to a station; thence south 24° 46 1/2' west 166.20 feet to a station; thence south 49° 35' west 171.00 feet to a station; thence south 48° 55' west 136.50 feet to a station; thence 42° 34 1/2' west 223.20 feet to a station; thence south 33° 00' east 264.00 feet to a station; thence 48° 53' east 798.81 feet to a station; thence north 53° 30' east 306.30 feet to a station in the center of the Powder Mill road; thence along the center of said road to the point of beginning.
(C) 
Carbonera Creek Area (bounded by Highway 17, Carbonera Creek and Carbonera Drive):
Being a part of the Rancho La Carbonera and more particularly described as follows:
Beginning at the northwest corner of Parcel C as said parcel is shown on that parcel map filed for record in the office of the Santa Cruz County recorder on January 14, 1987, in Volume 47 of Parcel Maps at Page 49; thence easterly along the northerly boundary line of said Parcel C to its intersection with the centerline to its intersection with the southeast corner of Parcel D as said Parcel D is shown on that parcel map filed for record in the office of the Santa Cruz County recorder on September 21, 1972 in Volume 8 of Parcel Maps at Page 26; thence North 85° 29' 40" West along the southerly boundary line of said Parcel D and its westerly prolongation thereof to its intersection with the easterly sideline of State Highway 17; thence northerly along said westerly sideline to a point which bears South 61° 01' 21" West, 100 feet more or less from the hereinbefore described point of beginning; thence North 6° 01' 21" East, 100 feet more or less to the point of beginning.
(D) 
Additional Carbonera Creek Areas (near city-County boundary):
Being a part of the Rancho La Carbonera and more particularly described as follows:
A. Beginning at the southeast corner of Parcel D as said Parcel D is shown on that Parcel Map filed for record in the office of the Santa Cruz County recorder on September 21, 1972, in Volume 8 of Parcel Maps at Page 26 said southeast corner also being on the eastern boundary of the Carbonera Rancho; thence along said eastern boundary of the Carbonera Rancho the following three courses, North 26° 05' West 180.69 feet; North 5° 30' West 210.55 feet and North 5° 45' East 51.56 feet to intersection with the existing Santa Cruz city limits line; thence leaving said East boundary of the Carbonera Rancho and following the existing Santa Cruz city limits line to the hereinbefore referred to point of beginning. (Contains 44.1 acres more or less.)
B. All of those parcels of land lying bounded on the North by the southerly boundary line of Parcel D as said Parcel D is shown on that Parcel Map filed for record in the office of the Santa Cruz County recorder on September 21, 1972, in Volume 8 of Parcel Maps at Page 26 and the westerly prolongation of said southerly boundary line to its intersection with the easterly sideline of State Highway 17, on the East by the existing Santa Cruz city limits line, on the West by the easterly sideline of State Highway 17 and on the South by the existing Santa Cruz city limits line as it was adopted by Resolution 597 entitled "Sutphen Street No. 597 Reorganization and East of the easterly sideline of State Highway 17. (Contains 10.5 acres more or less.)
(prior code § 8.56.70; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984; Ord. 3697 § 1, 1985; Ord. 3974 § 1, 1989; Ord. 3984 § 1, 1989)
Camping shall be permitted in the no camping zones located in the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County in the following circumstances:
(A) 
Camping shall be permitted in public or private areas specifically set aside and clearly marked for camping purposes;
(B) 
Camping shall be permitted in connection with events sponsored and conducted under the direction and control of the Santa Cruz County Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services Department;
(C) 
Camping shall be permitted in connection with any specified event authorized by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to SCCC § 10.16.070;
(D) 
Camping shall be permitted in the yard of a residence with the consent of the owner or occupant of the residence. This subsection does not authorize or validate camping with such intensity, frequency or duration as to constitute a use of land prohibited by any provision of SCCC Title 13;
(E) 
Camping shall be permitted on open, unimproved land with the specific, express, written or verifiable consent of the owner. This subsection does not authorize or validate camping with such intensity, frequency or duration as to constitute a use of land prohibited by any provision of SCCC Title 13.
(prior code § 8.56.30; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)
The Board of Supervisors may by resolution authorize overnight camping on County-owned property as a special event.
(prior code § 8.56.40; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)
Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a motorist from sleeping or resting in his or her parked vehicle on any area immediately adjacent to any road or highway unless such area is specifically posted or signed as a no parking area.
(prior code § 8.56.45; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)
Any person who violates any section of this chapter is guilty of an infraction. Each day during which any violation of this chapter continues or is committed shall be a separate offense.
(prior code § 8.56.50; Ord. 3651 § 1, 1984)