Fontana, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Sec. 24-111 states the council's findings behind the ordinance: people who use vehicles to illegally dump refuse bring decay to neighborhoods, and the council concluded that seizing those vehicles would deter the practice. Sec. 24-112 bans dumping, depositing, placing or burying refuse, or any deleterious or offensive substance, or anything condemned by the city's health officer, on any lot, land, public place, or in any water or waterway, though the ban doesn't reach land the city itself uses as a disposal or reclamation site. Any vehicle used for that dumping becomes a nuisance under the section, and the owner, lessee, or anyone who possesses, conducts, uses or maintains the vehicle for dumping is guilty of a nuisance as well, not just the driver.

Sec. 24-113 vests all right, title and interest in the vehicle in the city the moment the dumping happens, ahead of any forfeiture hearing. Sec. 24-114 lets any peace officer seize the vehicle on court process, and also authorizes seizure without process under specified circumstances. The chapter includes a full forfeiture track after seizure covering receipts for what's taken (Sec. 24-115), the evidence needed to hold the vehicle (Sec. 24-116), the forfeiture decision itself (Sec. 24-117), a return path for innocent parties who didn't know their vehicle was being used to dump (Sec. 24-118), and an interest-claim and alternative settlement process (Secs. 24-119, 24-120) before the city can sell a forfeited vehicle under Sec. 24-121.