Mariposa County, CA Property Maintenance: Trash Bin Storage (2026)

Under Mariposa County Code Section 8.36.030, 'the owners, operator and/or occupant of any premises... vacant or occupied, shall be responsible for the safe and sanitary storage of all solid waste generated and/or accumulated on the property.' Solid waste must be stored so as not to promote 'the propagation, harborage, or attraction of vectors, or the creation of nuisance.' Property owners and tenants must deposit garbage and putrescible matter in containers that are 'nonabsorbent, watertight, vector-resistant, durable, easily cleanable, designed for safe handling, with tight-fitting lids.' When containers are handled by collectors, the code sets a minimum of 10 gallons and a maximum of 33 gallons, loaded so as not to exceed 60 pounds including the container. Containers must be kept 'in a clean, sound condition free from putrescible residue' and have adequate handles. Properly prepared recyclable waste may be stored in open containers as long as it does not attract vectors, create nuisances, or generate litter. Because most of the county is self-haul (no universal curbside service), these standards apply chiefly to how residents store waste between trips to a transfer station or landfill, and to commercial properties. Violations of Chapter 8.36 are a misdemeanor punishable under the general penalty Chapter 1.20.