Huntington Beach, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited acts
- Feed, disturb or touch wildlife on city property
- Adopted
- Ordinance 4068, September 2015
- Exception
- Written authorization from Director only
- Scope
- All parks, ponds, trails and lots, § 13.48.010
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500 fine/3 months jail
- Enforced by
- Park rangers, limited peace-officer status
Summary
Huntington Beach bars feeding, disturbing or touching wildlife anywhere on city property, including parks, ponds and trails, unless the Director of Community Services has given written authorization. Municipal Code § 13.48.075, added in 2015, backs the ban with the Chapter 13.48 misdemeanor penalty: up to a $500 fine or three months in jail. Park rangers with limited peace-officer status enforce it directly.
Unless specifically authorized by the Director of Community Services in writing, no person shall feed, disturb or have physical contact with wildlife on City property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954605; v17 updated 2026-06-16).
Full Breakdown
Huntington Beach's park code treats wildlife feeding as a standalone offense apart from its general animal rules. 075, added by Ordinance 4068 in September 2015, prohibits any person from feeding, disturbing, or having physical contact with wildlife on city property unless the Director of Community Services has specifically authorized it in writing. 010), so the ban covers geese and ducks at neighborhood park ponds as much as it covers coyotes or ground squirrels along hiking trails. 070, which separately bars trapping, killing, injuring or maltreating any wild or domesticated bird or animal in a park, carving out an exception only for City employees managing populations the Director has declared a nuisance or hazard. 5. 150: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, up to three months in jail, or both.
Violations & Fines
Feeding, disturbing or touching wildlife on city property without the Director's written authorization violates § 13.48.075. Because it sits within Chapter 13.48, a conviction is a misdemeanor under § 13.48.150, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to three months in county jail, or both. Community Services park rangers, who hold limited peace-officer authority under § 13.48.015, can issue citations directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed the ducks at a Huntington Beach park?
What's the penalty for feeding wildlife in a Huntington Beach park?
Who enforces the wildlife-feeding ban in Huntington Beach parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntington Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Huntington Beach to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Wildlife Feeding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle wildlife feeding.