San Ramon, CA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § B7-125
- Code chapter
- Division B7, Chapter V (Labor Disputes)
- Default violation class
- Infraction (§ A1-31)
- First-offense fine cap
- $100 (§ A1-32)
- Standard for violation
- Hinders passage or annoys/molests passersby
Summary
San Ramon Municipal Code Section B7-125 bans loitering, standing or sitting on any public highway, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk in a way that hinders passage or annoys passersby. It sits in the code's labor-disputes chapter but is written as a general obstruction rule enforceable citywide.
No person shall loiter, stand or sit in or on any public highway, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk so as to hinder or obstruct in any manner the free passage of persons or vehicles or to annoy or molest passing persons.
Full Breakdown
Section B7-125, titled 'Obstruction of public ways,' states that no person shall loiter, stand or sit in or on any public highway, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk so as to hinder or obstruct in any manner the free passage of persons or vehicles, or to annoy or molest passing persons. The provision traces to Ordinance 230 (1992) and is codified in Division B7, Chapter V, alongside labor-picketing sections (B7-126 through B7-129), but its own text is not limited to labor disputes: it reaches any person obstructing a public way or bothering pedestrians, whether the conduct is tied to a picket line or not. Because it is a general nuisance-style prohibition rather than a numeric standard, enforcement turns on whether the person's presence actually hindered passage or amounted to annoyance or molestation of others using the sidewalk, alley, crosswalk or street; merely standing on a sidewalk without blocking or bothering anyone does not violate the section.
Violations & Fines
San Ramon's code does not attach a chapter-specific penalty to Section B7-125, so it falls under the citywide default in Section A1-31: every act prohibited by the Municipal Code is a violation of the code and an infraction unless otherwise stated. Under the general penalty schedule in Section A1-32, an infraction conviction is punishable by a fine of up to one hundred dollars for a first violation, up to two hundred dollars for a second violation of the same ordinance within one year, and up to five hundred fifty dollars for each additional violation within that year. Each day a violating condition continues is treated as a separate offense under Section A1-33.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to stand on a San Ramon sidewalk?
What penalty applies to a loitering violation in San Ramon?
Does San Ramon's loitering law only apply to labor picketing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Ramon
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