Santa Ana, CA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Sec. 10-34, titled 'Human waste,' provides: no person shall urinate or evacuate his bowels on private property in an area exposed to the public view, or on any public street, sidewalk, alley, park, or other public place, except in a public restroom. Adopted by Ord. No. NS-1384 on January 3, 1978, the section reaches two distinct situations: any public street, sidewalk, alley or park, regardless of whether anyone happens to be watching, and private property, but only where the act happens in a spot exposed to public view, a fenced backyard or the interior of a private residence isn't covered, while a front yard, driveway or unscreened side yard visible from the sidewalk is.

The only safe harbor written into the section is use of a public restroom; there's no exception for emergencies, medical conditions or the absence of a nearby restroom. The section sits in Chapter 10's general 'crimes and miscellaneous law enforcement' article alongside the public-nudity ban in Sec. 10-35, and both are enforced the same way, by any Santa Ana police officer observing the conduct or responding to a complaint, with citations issued in the field rather than through any permit or inspection process.