Public Conduct in Camarillo, CA

If you live in Camarillo or are thinking about moving there, public conduct are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Camarillo has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of public conduct, and some of them might surprise you.

Public Urination

Camarillo bans urinating or defecating anywhere in public except inside an enclosed bathroom or restroom. Section 10.06.010 defines public place broadly, covering alleys, parking lots, parks, sidewalks, streets, and even private property that is open to the public, so the rule reaches shopping center lots and business parking areas, not just city streets and parks.

Key details: Prohibited act: Urinating/defecating outside enclosed restroom. Public place definition: Includes private lots open to public. Default penalty: Misdemeanor unless cited as infraction. Infraction fine: $100 first, up to $500 repeat. Misdemeanor exposure: Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail.

Camarillo's general penalty chapter treats any code violation as a misdemeanor under Section 1.12.020(C) unless a peace officer or code enforcement officer issues an infraction citation, the city attorney reduces the charge, or state law already classifies it as an infraction. An infraction is punished under Section 1.12.070 by a fine up to one hundred dollars for a first offense, two hundred dollars for a second within a year, and five hundred dollars for each additional offense; a misdemeanor conviction under Section 1.12.060 can bring a fine up to one thousand dollars, six months in jail, or both.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Camarillo actively enforces its public urination requirements.

Jaywalking

Camarillo's own code does not ban jaywalking generally, it only requires pedestrians near a marked underpass, subway, bridge or grade separation to use it rather than cross the highway within two hundred feet.

Key details: Scope: Only near underpasses/grade separations. Buffer distance: 200 feet. Enforcing agency: Ventura Co. Sheriff (contract). First-offense fine cap: $100. General jaywalking ban?: Not in city code.

Crossing within two hundred feet of a designated pedestrian underpass or grade separation instead of using it is an infraction under Title 11. Under Chapter 1.12's general penalty schedule, a first violation carries a fine of up to one hundred dollars, a second violation of the same section within a year up to two hundred dollars, and each further violation within that year up to five hundred dollars.

Camarillo is more permissive than most cities when it comes to jaywalking. That said, there are still limits.

Aggressive Panhandling

Camarillo outlaws soliciting money or sales in a way that would make a reasonable person fear harm or feel intimidated, spelling out six specific behaviors under Section 10.12.010: blocking someone's path, touching them, following after being told no, using threatening gestures, or cursing at them. Section 10.12.020 makes any of that conduct in a public place unlawful outright.

Key details: Regulated conduct: Manner of solicitation, not asking itself. Prohibited acts: Touching, blocking, threats, cursing, following. Covered locations: Public property and public-facing private lots. Penalty default: Misdemeanor or graduated infraction fine.

Aggressive solicitation is enforced under the city's general penalty chapter since Chapter 10.12 sets no fine of its own. A citation can be written as an infraction under Section 1.12.070, starting at up to one hundred dollars and rising to five hundred dollars for repeat violations within a year, or prosecuted as a misdemeanor under Section 1.12.060 carrying up to a thousand-dollar fine and six months in county jail.

Compared to other cities, Camarillo takes a harder line on aggressive panhandling. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Public Alcohol Use

Camarillo bans drinking or holding an open container of alcohol on streets, sidewalks, alleys, school grounds, city-owned buildings, posted park areas, and even private property without the owner's consent. Section 10.30.010 covers virtually every public space in the city; Section 10.30.020 carves out permitted park gatherings and licensed events on government property.

Key details: Covered locations: Streets, sidewalks, parks, unconsented private property. Alcohol threshold: 0.5% ABV or more. Permitted exception: Permitted park social gatherings. Penalty default: Misdemeanor or graduated infraction.

Open-container and public-drinking violations carry no chapter-specific fine, so the citywide default in Chapter 1.12 applies: a misdemeanor under Section 1.12.060 punishable by up to a thousand-dollar fine and six months in county jail, or an infraction under Section 1.12.070 starting at up to one hundred dollars and increasing to five hundred dollars for a third violation within a year.

Compared to other cities, Camarillo takes a harder line on public alcohol use. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Loud Party Ordinance

Camarillo makes it a civil violation for any property owner, tenant, or event organizer to host a loud or unruly gathering, with fines starting at five hundred dollars and rising to two thousand dollars by the third offense at the same address within a year. Section 10.32.050 adds liability for the actual police and fire response costs.

Key details: First offense fine: $500 civil fine. Third offense fine: $2,000 civil fine. Response-cost liability: Triggered after warning + repeat call. Appeal window: 15 days of cost notice. Who is liable: Owner, tenant, or event organizer.

A first loud-gathering citation carries a five hundred dollar civil fine under Section 10.32.040, rising to one thousand dollars for a second violation at the same address within twelve months and two thousand dollars for a third. Once a written warning has been issued, a repeat police or fire response also triggers liability for the city's actual response costs under Section 10.32.050, billed within forty-five days and appealable within fifteen days of the notice.

Compared to other cities, Camarillo takes a harder line on loud party ordinance. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Skateboarding Rules

Camarillo does not ban skateboarding citywide. Under Chapter 11.76, the city council can prohibit skateboarding, bicycling, rollerskating and inline skating on specific streets, sidewalks or public property by resolution, but only after posted notice is actually up.

Key details: Citywide ban?: No, posted areas only. Who can designate: City council by resolution. Notice text size: 2 in. symbols / 1 in. print. Exempt users: On-duty law enforcement on bikes. First-offense fine cap: $100.

Violating a posted skateboarding prohibition under Chapter 11.76 is an infraction, per Section 11.76.040, punishable under the general penalty schedule in Chapter 1.12: up to one hundred dollars for a first offense, up to two hundred dollars for a second violation of the same section within a year, and up to five hundred dollars for further violations within that year.

Camarillo is more permissive than most cities when it comes to skateboarding rules. That said, there are still limits.

Public Marijuana Use

Camarillo expressly bars smoking, vaping, or ingesting marijuana products on Constitution Park, Dizdar Park, the Library grounds outside the building, and F-Canyon, naming marijuana directly and separately from the city's general tobacco smoking ordinance.

Key details: Where it applies: Constitution Park, Dizdar Park, Library grounds, F-Canyon. Citation: Camarillo Municipal Code § 10.44.020(Q). Covers: Smoking, vaping, and ingesting marijuana products. Exception: Activity authorized under a special events permit. Adopted: Ord. No. 1142, 6-14-2017; Ord. No. 1144, 9-27-2017.

Violating Section 10.44.020, including its ban on smoking, vaping, or ingesting marijuana products, is enforced as a general municipal code violation under Chapter 1.12. Absent a specific classification, violations default to a misdemeanor under Section 1.12.020.C unless a peace officer or code enforcement officer designated under Section 1.12.040 issues an infraction citation instead, in which case the infraction fines under Section 1.12.070 apply: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense of the same section within a year, and up to $500 for each additional offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Camarillo actively enforces its public marijuana use requirements.

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions

Camarillo bans smoking, including vaping, in public places, outdoor dining areas, recreation areas, service lines, and multi-unit residence common areas citywide, with a 25-foot buffer around any prohibited area, under Chapter 9.24 of the municipal code.

Key details: Buffer distance: 25 feet from prohibited areas. Citation: Camarillo Municipal Code § 9.24.020. Covers: Public places, dining/recreation areas, worksites. First-offense fine: Up to $100 (infraction). Adopted: Ord. No. 1129, 9-28-2016.

A violation of Chapter 9.24 is an infraction under Section 9.24.070, enforced under the general infraction penalties of Chapter 1.12: up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation of the same section within a year, and up to $500 for each further violation within that year. The chapter can be enforced by the city manager, any peace officer, or a code enforcement official, but Section 9.24.070.E makes clear that enforcement is discretionary and creates no private right of action to force the city to act against a violator; punishment under this chapter does not preclude separate prosecution for littering a cigarette or cigar under Health and Safety Code Section 13002 or Penal Code Section 374.4.

This is one of the stricter rules in Camarillo's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Camarillo is tougher than many cities when it comes to public conduct. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 6 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Camarillo, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Camarillo's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.