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

Subsection (a) bars placing, dropping, spilling or discharging litter in any public place, on private property without the owner's or occupant's consent, or into any municipal storm sewer facility, waterway, gutter, catch basin, storm drain or channel. Subsection (b) separately prohibits dumping solid waste, recyclables, organics, bulky items, construction or demolition debris, green waste, hazardous waste or e-waste anywhere without both the property owner's consent and a lawful collection arrangement with the city or its franchised hauler, and bars overloading, misusing or blocking public litter baskets and private dumpsters so that lids cannot close or waste spills, blows away, or attracts animals.

Subsection (c) requires every private property in the city, commercial or residential, to be kept free of litter at all times, including sidewalks, parkways, alleys, parking lots and loading areas visible from the public right-of-way, and to maintain adequate refuse, recycling and organics containers serviced often enough to prevent overflow or odor. Restaurants, drive-throughs, sidewalk vendors and outdoor dining operations must additionally provide patron trash containers and conduct daily litter patrols of their seating and frontage areas.

Enforcement under subsection (d) is explicit strict liability: intent, knowledge, mistake or negligence are not elements of the offense, and any "responsible person" as defined in § 1-20 can be cited or charged, with multiple responsible persons jointly and severally liable for cleanup costs. An enforcement official may order immediate abatement, and failure to comply is a separate daily violation. Every violation is also a misdemeanor enforceable by citation or criminal complaint, reducible to an infraction at the city attorney's discretion, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense. Section 53-9 was adopted by Ordinance No. 2069 on January 13, 2026.