Chico, CA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)

Chico Municipal Code § 9.44.015 prohibits sitting or lying down on a public sidewalk, curb, or street, or on a blanket, stool, chair, or other object placed there, adjacent to commercially zoned property, between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Exceptions cover medical emergencies, wheelchair or walker users, permitted outdoor cafés, public benches, permitted events, and children in strollers. A first violation draws a fine up to $100, rising to $200 for a second offense and $300 for a third or later offense within a year. A separate provision, § 9.44.010, bars obstructing sidewalk traffic generally. The related curfew statute, § 9.56.010, separately governs unaccompanied minors loitering during nighttime hours and is not duplicated here.