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

Section 8.12.340(A) is a broad prohibition. It is unlawful for any person to place, deposit or dump solid waste of any kind whatsoever upon any property within the City of Highland, or to cause, suffer or permit it to be placed, deposited or dumped, without first having obtained a conditional use permit under the city's zoning laws. The reach extends beyond the person holding the trash: a property owner who permits dumping is covered by the same language.

Subsection B names the enforcers. Under California Penal Code Section 836.5, the director of community development and any city code enforcement officer are authorized to enforce the section, along with California Penal Code Sections 374, 374a, 374.2, 374.3, 374.4, 374d, 374.7 and 375, California Government Code Section 68055 et seq., and California Vehicle Code Sections 23111 and 23112. In practice that gives Highland code enforcement the tools to cite dumping in the city directly, without waiting on the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Other sections in Chapter 8.12 cover the edges. Section 8.12.300(A) bars any collector from depositing, leaving, dumping or dropping refuse upon any street, alley, waterway or unauthorized or unimproved lot. Section 8.12.310 requires anyone transporting refuse to prevent scattering and to clean up what spills, and § 8.12.360 keeps each person responsible for cleanup of refuse that person generated, dumped, spilled or littered. Section 8.12.180 makes it unlawful to place refuse in another person's containers, and § 8.12.240 bars dumping any residential, commercial, industrial or hazardous waste in the public litter containers meant primarily for pedestrians. A resident who self-hauls and dumps illegally or uses another's dumpster can be removed from the registered self-hauler list under § 8.12.350(D)(4) and must then subscribe to service.

Penalties come from Chapter 1.24. Section 1.24.040 says a conviction or payment of a penalty does not relieve anyone of correcting the condition or paying other fees, and § 1.24.050 lets a court order reimbursement of the city's investigation and prosecution costs.