Chapter 8.14
ILLEGAL DUMPING
Sections:
8.14.060 Liability of owner or operator of motor vehicle.
8.14.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to deter the improper disposal of garbage and reduce blight. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]
8.14.020 Definitions.
“Garbage” means any form of refuse, rubbish, trash, solid waste or recyclable materials, whether inorganic or organic, and all matter defined in Chapters 8.04, 8.06, and 8.09 PMC. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]
8.14.030 Prohibition.
No person shall dispose of garbage where disposal is not expressly allowed. Unlawful disposal of garbage is a public nuisance. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]
8.14.040 Exceptions.
This chapter does not prohibit the following:
A. Placement of garbage for pick up by the holder of a solid waste franchise in compliance with requirements for pick up, whether regular service, on-call, or bulky pick up or any other pick up offered by the franchise holder.
B. Emergency or extraordinary circumstances as determined in the discretion of any individual authorized to enforce this chapter.
C. Disposal of a small amount of garbage. This means discarding less than two pounds by weight or one square foot by volume of garbage consisting of beverage containers, packaging, wrappers, wastepaper, receipts, cardboard, gum, or similar items. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]
8.14.050 Separate violations.
Each of the following is a separate violation of this chapter:
A. Each individual act of disposing garbage at the same location.
B. Each day disposed garbage remains where it was disposed. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]
8.14.060 Liability of owner or operator of motor vehicle.
To the full extent permitted by law, an owner or operator of a motor vehicle violates PMC 8.14.030 if the vehicle is used, or the owner or operator reasonably should have known the vehicle was being used, in the commission of a violation of PMC 8.14.030. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]
8.14.070 Enforcement.
A. A violation of this chapter constitutes a misdemeanor. The city may seek compliance with this chapter by any remedy allowed under this code and any other remedy allowed by law, including but not limited to the administrative citation procedures set forth in PMC 1.20.030.
B. The amount of the administrative fine is $1,000 for each violation. The city manager is authorized to offer community service, if available, in lieu of a fine. The city may collect any past due administrative fine as a personal obligation.
C. A violation of this chapter may be abated, and the costs of abatement charged to the person committing the violation. Any cost of abatement unpaid after 45 days from the date of mailing of the invoice may be recovered as a personal obligation.
D. The remedies provided in this chapter are cumulative and not exclusive. This chapter may be enforced by the city manager and any city staff designated in writing by the city manager. [Ord. 24-1520 § 2, 2024.]