Costa Mesa declares it a public nuisance for any person owning, leasing, occupying, or having charge of any premises to maintain the property with conditions of deterioration, disrepair, or blight. Title 20 (Property Maintenance) establishes strict liability for property owners for all building, housing, fire, and land use violations.
Costa Mesa's Title 20 (Property Maintenance) establishes property maintenance standards and public nuisance abatement procedures. It is declared a public nuisance for any person owning, leasing, occupying, or having charge or possession of any premises in the city to maintain the property in a manner where identified nuisance conditions exist. Conditions constituting blight include broken, buckled, rotted, or split exterior wall coverings or roof coverings, property in a condition of deterioration or disrepair, hoarding conditions on the interior or exterior of the property, accumulation of junk, debris, or inoperable vehicles, overgrown vegetation and weeds, graffiti, broken windows, peeling paint, and other conditions affecting health and safety. Because of the serious blighting conditions that can result, this chapter imposes strict civil liability upon property owners for all building, housing, fire, health, land use, and abandoned vehicle code and zoning violations occurring on the premises. The city's Community Improvement Division handles enforcement through inspections, notices of violation, administrative hearings, and abatement proceedings. Property owners are responsible for correcting violations within the timeframe specified in the notice.
Violations may result in administrative citations, fines, liens against the property, and city-initiated abatement at the owner's expense. Strict civil liability means owners are responsible regardless of fault. Contact Code Enforcement at (714) 754-5638.
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa Municipal Code Title 13 establishes noise standards that vary by zoning district. Industrial and commercial noise crossing into residential zones ...
Costa Mesa, CA
Outdoor music at residences, parks, and events in Costa Mesa must comply with CMMC Title 13 noise standards. Amplified outdoor music requires compliance with...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa regulates amplified music under CMMC Chapter XIII noise control. Music and sound-producing devices must comply with exterior noise standards at th...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa defines abandoned vehicles as those left on public streets for more than 72 hours without being moved or those that are inoperable. The city proac...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa prohibits commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVW from parking on restricted streets between 2 AM and 6 AM, or for more than 3 hours on any pub...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa requires vehicles to park on improved surfaces under its development and property maintenance standards. Driveway design must meet zoning requirem...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Orange County.
See how other cities in Orange County handle property blight.
See how Costa Mesa's property blight rules stack up against other locations.
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