Novi, MI Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Sec. 22-158, part of the Offenses Against Public Health article, states the rule in a single sentence: no person may urinate or defecate in a public place except in a toilet or urinal. The section carries a cross-reference to the city's sewage disposal system rules in Sec. 34-111 et seq., tying the prohibition to the broader public-health purpose of the article, which also bans spitting on sidewalks and public floors (Sec. 22-156) and tampering with public drinking fountains (Sec. 22-157). Sec. 22-158 does not set its own fine or classify the offense as a civil infraction, so Sec.

1-11(b), the code's general penalty section, controls: any ordinance violation not specifically designated a municipal civil infraction is deemed a misdemeanor. Under Sec. 1-11(c)(1)a, that means a person convicted faces up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both, unless the offense mirrors a state misdemeanor carrying a 93-day maximum, in which case the jail exposure rises to 93 days with the same $500 fine cap. Each day or act of violation counts as a separate offense under Sec. 1-11(c)(1)b, and the code preserves any other equitable remedy the city might pursue.